It can be very hard to focus on one thing in this day and age. There are so many opportunities and there is so much to discover, that it can be hard to stick to just one thing. Luckily, you don’t have to focus on one thing. You can learn a little bit from a lot of things, and still find enjoyment in it. If you feel like your interests spread across a lot of different creative activities, let me guide you towards gaining clarity and show you how to build a creative ecosystem online.
Everything you learn connects
When it comes to anything that you learn, you already have to focus on multiple things. When you want to play an instrument, for example, you need to learn how to read notes, to play chords, and to learn about rhythm, melody and harmony. Once you have been practicing for a while, you start to notice that all of these things connect in some kind of way. Your creative ecosystem is the same. You will discover that the music you produce aligns with the pictures you take, and the pictures you take have the same vibe as the art you make.
Before the internet, it was very hard to distribute your work and get it in front of a lot of people. That is why you had to become very good and respected in your craft, before a place like a gallery would display your work. But nowadays, you can share work online with just one click on a button, which means that you do not have to limit yourself to one thing, if you do not want that. Of course if you want to be very good at one thing, that is great. But especially when you are young, or have not really developed an interest, building something that incorporates multiple creative endeavors teaches you what best suits you and your style.
How to build a creative ecosystem
In order to build a creative ecosystem, you need to build a place where you can display your work. You need to be able to share your work on some kind of platform. There are many ways to do it. The way I do this right now is by having this website and sharing my work on here, but there are also a lot of social media platforms where you can show your process and your work. The great thing about a creative ecosystem is that it grows with you over time. Once you consistently start posting, you can really see how you develop your craft through the months or years.
Too many interests is not the problem
The problem is not having too many interests. The problem is that you can not see the connections between these interests yet. Everyone likes different things, and that is what makes them interesting. When you talk to someone at a party who has a lot of different stories to tell, it makes that person instantly more interesting because you can really feel that he or she is passionate. When you feel scattered between your interests, you probably need to de-clutter your creative brain. You want to build things that align with the lifestyle you want to have. That way it becomes easier to focus on the things that matter the most to you.
Build a creative ecosystem that lasts
It always starts messy. It will take some time before you build a strong identity and personal brand. As long as you feel fired up every time you create something new, that means you are on the right track. Consistency is important, and if you do not enjoy the things that you are creating, that can be a problem. Don’t go too hard on yourself when you have made something. You need to see the bigger picture. Your first piece of art will probably not be worth a million dollars. But if you keep creating, and keep sharing it and showing up, everything will start to change. Not just the amount of views, but also the skills and experience that you have gained. That is how you build a creative ecosystem that lasts.
I hope you enjoyed this post. If you did, also check out I cut my screen time from 5 hours to 1. Here’s what changed
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Have a great day,
Mart Bergsma
