An abstract term that I couldn't quite articulate in fewer words was sparked last year. Here’s a journal note I left:
April 19, 2022
As someone with a career within the creative industries, I consistently come up against a wall. The ‘Relevant Creative Purpose’ wall. The RCP wall. When I sat down to write on this I had just read a WePresent article on mental health and creativity.
It made a distinction that rings very true. Creative work can be very therapeutic but can become a crux when a deadline is involved. Usually one out of your control.
Why?
Isn’t that the dream? To earn a living from being creative?
I believe it is much more than just “being creative” – it’s expression.
Today there are few Speilbergs of the world. People who command enough respect that they can do what they want at scale and earn a living from it. The rest of us? We are usually hired out by the hour for our hard-skills.
This isn’t to say you can’t find a job you enjoy, but it needs to be relevant to you. When you take on a job because it pays well, it’s purpose is not creative. When you take on a job because it’s a cool idea, the purpose leans creatively. Even then, we’ve all done jobs like that – they never work out. There’s got to be a balance.
But even with balance, we sometimes still find ourselves unfulfilled. I’ve had full time jobs in the creative industries (that paid well), and I’ve quit every one of them. Why?
Relevant. Creative. Purpose.
It’s integral to a job. Not just to have a purpose, but for it to be relevant. The creative bit is just tagged along in there because of the industry I work in, but Relevant Purpose is essential.
People thrive when they have a sense of purpose and the knowledge that their efforts are contributing the overall pie. If this is ringing a bell, I have written about this from another angle before:
What can't be quantified, is the satisfaction of knowing that our work is making a positive impact on the world. Each person's experience will be unique. My purpose and your purpose are probably not the same thing.
But the point isn’t knowing your purpose, because sometimes that can be daunting and stressful. And some of us to be honest, really don't give a hoot! But the point is making sure your job has one.
It can be a purpose someone else has created, like a CEO, and you subscribe to that. But it needs to be precise and unambiguous. And you know what? Sometimes the only reason you go to work is to get paid. And that’s okay. A world-changing vision isn't essential, that kind of responsibility is enormous and usually unnecessary. But just knowing what your job does for you (or for others) is all we really need.
Just like last month, this isn't a topic that calls for extensive explanation but rather introspection: what's your RCP?
Stay safe, and pass-it-on.