There are plenty of folks who would struggle to make a living if their creative interests became their “main course.” I asked a group of folks what word we most often put in front of “artist” and they responded, “starving.”

This doesn’t necessarily speak to the facts as much as it conveys our fears.

Our survival instincts kick in. If I try to live off my art, I may not make much money. I might lose my house and my family, ending up on the streets begging for money.

Maybe, but it’s doubtful. There are plenty of other scenarios that could play out.

But what if you didn’t try to live off your creativity, and instead, you let it live off you? Maybe you could turn your creativity into a side hustle, making a little extra money here and there. But I think there’s more benefit in creativity being a side item. How does this help?

1. You gain freedom to experiment
   

   If you HAVE TO make a living from your creative endeavor, you don’t leave room for failure. The thing about art, is it may not work. You may have to try dozens of tests before one of them truly succeeds. Start small. Try experiments. Learn and grow.

2. You gain autonomy

   By trying things out on the side, you get to decide what you do. Not a boss. Not a demanding customer. You. This doesn’t mean you should be self-indulgent or tone deaf. But, you can try the things you think have the most potential or fit your sense of purpose.

3. You see the world through new eyes. 

   My senior year in college, I was taking an illustration class. I had to find a professional illustrator to review my portfolio. A highly talented illustrator named Tim Jessell happened to live in Stillwater, OK, where I went to college. Years later, Tim was speaking at an event. I brought a children’s book he wrote and illustrated and asked him to sign it. He remembered me and hearing I now had a young daughter, he didn’t just sign the book. In a few flashes of a moment, he created the illustration featured at the top of this article.

   

Even though Tim was making a living through his creativity, you can see the world through the eyes of an artist without it paying the rent. Doodling, playing in your garage band, or taking up woodworking on the side may provide insight that changes how you see the rest of the world. When I spend more time drawing, I start looking at trees and imagining how I would replicate the patterns of the bark or the patches of foliage. I think about how light reflects off objects and wonder how I could combine watercolor pigment to recreate the cornucopia of colors in a sunset.

Inevitably, the creativity you use on the side will bleed into the rest of your world, applying itself to solving thorny problems at work or home. You’re developing skills of observation and innovation. You’re learning how to overcome your fears, put yourself out there and receive feedback. You’ll discover new principles of theory and structure while drawing parallels between disparate things. All of this can be useful in different areas of life.

Maybe you can make creativity your side hustle, or even your main hustle. But what if you didn’t pressure it right away to supply or supplement your income? What if was just a side item? It might just get the air it needs to grow and begin to breathe wonder, inspiration and beauty into your life.