Passion for Your Craft

One thing about my chosen career path that soothes my anxiety is that even on my days off, I am still affiliating with my craft in some way.

Whether I am out on a nature walk snapping photos, filming b-roll for a personal project, or sketching, I am honing my passion by fueling my personal fire as an artist. If you do not love your art, you will not force yourself to grow.

There was a Summer in my first couple of years of school when I did not quite understand the value of practicing my passions in a personal setting. I had been reading my news feed on Facebook and noticed a post searching for a videographer to take part in a local artists mini-documentary series. I read the ad and thought to myself, “this is possible, take a chance and see what happens.” In short, the artist reached out and we filmed 7 episodes. What I didn’t yet understand was what I would learn, on a deeper level, from this experience. I was never paid or credited in an explicit way, this was a project of heart and dedication.

From the project, I learned client relations, problem solving, and confident shooter skills. I was able to build a mini network of local creatives and really experience my first time thinking on my own two feet. All of these skills I gained by taking time in my personal agenda to fuel my own fire and practice my own craft in a semi-professional way.

NOW, why does this matter to you at all?

Becoming a freelancer requires a lot of passion. Often times you will experience late nights, long hours, and little rest. Burn out will be a major consequence of not nursing your passions from within. If you avoid the burn out by pursuing personal vision, you are more likely to push yourself through the fatigue and create amazing product. In the same, you are more likely to realize your talent and walk into each project with prime confidence.