I came across a thoughtful and thought-provoking blog on my WordPress reader today, courtesy of Kristen Lamb. No doubt some of you subscribe to her blog. Today’s post is a continuation of her series on what she calls the “Enemy of the Art,” the negative traits that stifle our creativity, and get in the way of our successes. Part 6 explored “The Land of Good Enough.” In her post, she describes the Land of Good Enough as “the realm of paycheck-to-paycheck living, dead end jobs that suck away our souls, routine, safety and predictability. It’s a place where we settle when we are too scared to step onto our sacred path and dare to see if we have what it takes to be a real artist.”
I’m one of those that unfortunately has to live in the Land of Good Enough. What I do for a living, I do quite well, and it pays very well. I work in Information Technology, as a project manager. The work I do can be pretty stressful, having to deal with lots of moving parts, deadlines that never quite seem to be able to be reached, egos galore, and the very real possibility that your project is going to be abruptly cancelled at any second. The work involves long hours, but on the flip side I do get to work from home. The truth is, I don’t love the work I do, but, like James Bond, I may not have a zest for the job, but I take pride in doing the job right. Unlike James Bond, I don’t drive an Aston Martin or woo beautiful women or kill baddies with awesome gadgets or drink vodka martinis by the dozen. Alas.
I used to whine about how my work would interfere with my creative side. That is, until a friend of mine reminded me that I don’t need to love my job, but I do need to love my creative side, no matter what. I used to let my job interfere with my creative side. I would get depressed and cranky about not being able to write, or express myself. Not anymore.
By hook or by crook, I’m getting my novel finished. I am making the time, not in fits and spurts, but through discipline. In certain hours of the day, I get writing accomplished. Believe it or not, there are down times during my work day. Rather than goof off online, and catch up on whatever gossip is floating around the Internet – and, besides, I don’t do Facebook anymore – I write. I edit. I blog. I get my writing done. I don’t aspire to write. I am a writer.
I’m not dumb enough to think once my novel gets published, I’m going to quit my job and start living off the massive royalty checks that are going to roll in every month. The only check I’m going to be getting is a massive reality check. Not to mention if I did suddenly up and quit my job, my wife would hand me divorce papers quicker than a redneck sheriff handing someone a beatdown because someone didn’t respect their autho-ra-tay.
But you bet your damn ass I want to make a living as a writer. A comfortable living, at that. I don’t aspire, or harbor any notions, of living the high life of novelists like James Patterson. Heaven fucking forbid. Besides, I plan on earning my wages…ZING! But I know what I’ll earn as a writer may very well never match, on a year-to-year basis, what I earn as a project manager. Maybe it will, I don’t know.
It’s easy to adopt a Tyler Durden-esque mentality, and reject the things that right now own you, but reality is a cruel mistress. I have a mortgage, one which I’m unfortunately under water with. A car payment to make. My daughter’s kindergarten tuition. Not to mention all the other debts and essentials. I have to live in that world in order to pay my dues, which in turn gives me the tools I need to express my creativity. Some would call this entrapment, but I think it’s a compromise, and I’m willing to make that compromise. Life sometimes is about making compromises you don’t really want to make, but sometimes have to.
But I don’t buy into the notion that somehow, in order to truly become a real artist, you have to find a way to escape from the Land of Good Enough. There’s some truth, and I do mean some truth to that, but being a real artist means being true to yourself, regardless of what it is you do that pays the bills.
The point is, whether you live in the Land of Good Enough, or you’re fortunate to have broken free from such a place, nothing, and I mean nothing, should ever stifle your creativity. Whether you toil as an accountant or toil as a copy editor, what you do to express your creative side should never take a back seat to the things you own, or the things that own you. Regardless of the fact that I work a demanding job, and I have responsibilities to adhere to, I’m not losing sight of my writing ambitions. Not one bit.
And to give a ton of credit where credit is due, I think Kristen Lamb makes a valid and extremely passionate argument for not living in the Land of Good Enough. We only have ourselves to blame if we continue to live comfortably in the Land of Good Enough. Because complacency is the enemy of creativity, and my job here is to fight the never ending fight against complacency.
Many thanks to Kristen Lamb for her wonderful blog. Do check out her blog; it’s a thoughtful, insightful and inspiring read.
Out Where the Buses Don't Run 
I follow Kristen too, very good blog.
Good for you for being able to combine your two worlds without animosity–or at least finally getting to that point. I found that very difficult to do. While in the ‘real world’ I often pined for the ‘creative’ one. But it really comes down to discipline, doesn’t it? And patience. Lots and lots of patience.
It isn’t easy, that’s for sure, but I’m not in a position where I can give up the salary just to live the writer’s life. Not yet, at least.
I think I need visit the real world a little more often, but it’s so fun and cozy in creative land.
I agree. I’d love to become a permanent resident in Creative Land. I’m working very hard on attaining permanent residency status.
You just made me feel better about my job. It enables me to write, and my writing enables me to escape. One day, it may help me to escape from my job. Well written.
Thank you!
Thanks for this reminder. I struggled for a long time, not wanting to call myself a writer because I wasn’t doing the work. I bemoaned the fact that I had to work to pay the bills and I had gone back to school so anything I read or wrote had to do with classes I was taking. (Don’t ask me about the years prior to my return to school because I don’t have any excuses for years D-S). I don’t work from home, but I am self-employed, so no supervisor standing over my shoulder. I got so sick of making excuses that I decided to intersperse my writing with my j.o.b. Let’s say I get into the office, open up the email, check the inventory, check market updates. I add to that list: check my personal email, check WordPress, etc. Then I use downtime to write, much like you explained here so my day is back and forth doing what I have to do mingled with doing what I love to do. It is all about discipline, but also belief, trust, and faith. Kudos to you!
I struggled to call myself a writer for the longest time as well. But enough was enough. Either I am a writer, or it’s simply a hobby. And hobbies don’t pay the bills. In the meantime, I can work and pay the bills, and not find excuses not to write. I can balance both my work and life obligations, and my writing ambitions. And from the looks of things, so are you, Cheryl!
This is perfectly timed for me, a novice blogger. It’s a week or so in & I just got the the first roadblock imposed by the day job. Frustration was already mounting. Thanks for providing some perspective.
The key is to prioritize. Sometimes the job is going to win, and rightly so. But you can’t lose sight of your creative side.
I think most of us are doomed to live in the land of good enough, It’s my writing, though, that makes that bearable. Great post.
This was a great read and so what I needed. I’m just starting out trying the same thing – balancing the job that pays with the writing that leaves me fulfilled. It’s been… a challenge!
But you’re right, it’s better than just slipping into a life of numb apathy and complacency…
That’s it, isn’t it? Finding the balance between the job that pays the bills and the writing that leaves you fulfilled. It can be done. It has been done!
Good luck to you!