The Artist Lifestyle (how to live like a modern creative)
Dripping in aesthetics, unknown melodies fill the room. Plants in windows dance to the beat as an artist conjures creativity in their warehouse loft with the morning sun for light.
Is this the artist lifestyle?
Perhaps – for some. But it’s a bit over the top (or stereotypical) and doesn’t capture what it really means to be a modern artist.
So welcome to this post – a look at what it truly means to be a creative (and how to live like one).
Let’s get to it.
Table of Contents Show
What Is An Artist Lifestyle?
So what do we mean by a creative lifestyle? Let’s start there.
An artist lifestyle is one that optimizes for and values creativity, creative pursuits and artistic vibes.
It’s worth noting however that an artist lifestyle doesn’t require you to be an artist. It just requires a level of creative intention.
Creativity is found in every area of life – from fashion to cooking to parenting and beyond. An artist's lifestyle is being intentional of this fact and infusing creativity into these moments.
So what makes an artist then?
What Makes A Person An Artist?
Where does the non-artist end and the artist begin? It’s a tricky question, with an equally nuanced answer.
Because the truth is, anyone can be an artist. The very experience of being human is a creative act. It’s all art.
While there are varying degrees of artistry and different levels of intention, you don’t need to be the next Banksy.
So what makes a person an artist? Their intention to be one.
If you wish to be an artist, then consider it done – and welcome to the creative club. Your next task is to choose your medium or form of expression.
But that’s a topic for another day.
So let’s keep moving and explore more about what artists do exactly.
What Do Artists Do for A Living?
The opportunities to be a successful artist in modern life are exciting.
Gone are the gatekeepers and doors have swung wide open. Of course, that’s not to say it won’t take work, patience and finesse.
But the fact remains, becoming a full-time artist is more feasible now than it ever has been in history.
So how do artists make a living? Many ways, but here are a few popular examples:
Selling products (physical work, prints, print-on-demand, merchandise, etc.)
Selling services (commissioned work, custom jobs, etc.)
Starting an art blog (blogs open up many income opportunities)
Through content and growing a social media account (sponsorships, ads, etc.)
Royalties and licensing
Teaching
Pros + Cons of Living An Artist Life
It’s not all vibes and highs. Like any type of living, there are ups and downs.
So let’s explore some of these pros and cons.
Pros of Living Like An Artist
It’s personally fulfilling
You get to express yourself creatively
You can build a strong artistic community and network
You can make a lasting impact
You’re constantly sharpening your skills and learning
You enjoy freedom and autonomy
Cons of Living Like An Artist
Work can be unstable
You deal with a lot of rejection and criticism
You sometimes need to sacrifice creativity for market demand
Self promotion can be difficult
You need to invest a lot of money and time
Growth is slow and requires a lot of work and patience (but hey, all great things do)
So, What’s It Like to Be An Artist? (6 modern truths)
So, what is the lifestyle of an artist? What’s it like?
This varies between each person, but there are a few common themes. Here’s a sneak peak into the artist lifestyle.
1. You’re Contrarian
Ah, the contrarian artist – go figure.
But it makes sense. At the core of creativity is a drive to question the state of things and explore alternative styles and ways of thinking. It’s our default mode.
Feeling like a contrarian – or just generally out of place – comes with the territory.
So if you find yourself feeling contrarian, know you’re not alone.
2. Trends May Give You Stink Eye
A common artist goal is to grow an audience online.
This is a solid target and an awesome way to build an income and creative brand. But it can require some creative sacrifice.
When it comes to growing on social media, there are formulas, templates and strategies that just work – like heeding the trends.
Hopping on a trending template, song or format makes sense (if you can pivot it to your niche). But riding these social media tides also puts the artists in an awkward position.
Creativity means you like to do things differently (remember, contrarian). So using a templated approach can feel a bit like artistic cheating.
That’s not to say that you can’t add your own spin on things, but it does feel like a creative “rule” was imposed on your process.
For example, I know my short form videos would perform a lot better if I used more trending songs or did more covers. But as a musician and songwriter, I struggle a bit with this.
I guess patience and balance is the key.
3. Lots of Unfinished Projects + Ideas…
So many ideas – so little time.
I have thousands of notes, song ideas and melodies spread across different phones, computers and online platforms.
Nothing is organized and it pains me to say it, but I’ll probably never get around to finishing all of them.
This is the reality for most artists. We all have overfilling baskets of untold stories and unwatered ideas. It’s just a normal part of the artist's life.
Because the truth is, following through on every single idea that pops into our head would be impossible. Naturally you’ll have a large pool of unfinished things.
So if you’re looking to embrace the artist lifestyle, then accepting this reality sooner rather than later will save you some headaches.
4. I Love/Hate What I Make
I really do love the stuff I create. Take my music for example, I’m seriously into it.
And yet, sometimes I still hate it.
The artist lifestyle is a dance between loving what you’re making, but also kind of hating it sometimes.
It’s the fact that we are our own worst critic. And as an artist, this situation becomes inflated. Art requires vulnerability and experimentation. These things can cause self doubt and hesitation.
So while I mostly love the things I make, sometimes I question their quality and purpose. And some projects will always be better than others.
Growth is a thing and your artistic style, abilities and preferences naturally evolve. So when I look back at music I wrote 5 years ago, sometimes I cringe (not always, but sometimes).
This is normal. Nothing is good or bad, it just is.
It’s like those ideas that I think are garbage, but for whatever reason, other people resonate with them deeply. This leaves me feeling confused and scratching my head.
So I try to remember, even if I hate something, others may love it (vice versa).
5. Everything Is Art + You Want to Customize It
The artist lifestyle means seeing everything through a creative lens.
What this means is everything is open for artistic interpretation – from the color palette of your local restaurant’s menu to the content you publish on your socials.
The world is our art gallery and everything is fair game. Because let’s be real, the idea of not putting your own spin on something is pure madness!
Life with an artistic filter is fun, but sometimes cumbersome.
When everything is a potential project, focus can be an issue. There are, after all, lots of shiny objects out there.
6. You Live In Dichotomy
An artist lifestyle is often one of dichotomy. Here’s what I mean.
You want support and recognition (at least from those around you), but you also just want to be left alone to create without validation, metrics or algorithms.
Accolades, hearts and comments feel fantastic. But so does the stillness of just you and your art.
You don’t care or need that outside approval (but still, you want some recognition, damnit).
I believe this dichotomy is something many modern artists deal with (especially in this age of social media).
We want to share our work and create a community. It’s simple in theory – and yet so hard. I mean, we have the (a) formula:
Create → value content → share at scale → engage at scale → repeat
Still, I feel torn between starting and stopping and feeling discouraged. I feel like I’m living with an identity crisis.
Maybe I’m just overcomplicating everything. Either way, it’s a dichotomous state of being.
How to Live Life Like An Artist (4 tips)
Maybe you’re already an artist, or perhaps you’re looking to dabble in the creatives more.
Whatever the case, here are some helpful tips to better embody the artist’s lifestyle.
Optimize for Flow
Creative flow is where we want to be.
It’s a state of complete focus on the task at hand. Your brain gets out of the way and your intuition takes the wheel, as you time travel through a creative project.
It’s the zone, the flow state – the sweet spot.
So if you’re looking to live life like a successful modern artist, optimizing your schedule, habits and mindset for a creative flow state is essential.
Here are some tips to optimize for a flow state:
Do more of what you lose track of time doing
Lean into spontaneity
Block out your schedule for creative play (and nothing else)
Keep showing up (even when you’re in a rut)
Find Your Crew
I am as good as the company I keep.
A large part of my artist life is the people I spend the most time with. Namely, other creatives and artistically inspired people.
If Jim Rohn was even half right when he said we are the average of the five closest people in our life, then this is something not to ignore.
So who exactly lives in your inner circle? Do they support an artistic lifestyle or inspire you creatively?
Of course, not every person will be a perfect match and some relationships cannot be helped. But we do have control.
From artist networking to social media and meetup apps, there are plenty of modern ways to connect with other like-minded peeps.
But it takes time to develop relationships. So a first step I like to start with is simply consuming more artistically inspiring content and engaging in the comments with other people.
Being a genuine human – artist or not – is the first move. Eventually, you’ll find your crew of artists who you vibe with.
Don’t Attach Creative Worth to External Validation
External validation is attaching your artistic worth and value to other people’s opinions or support.
I’m looking at you, social media.
Of course, social platforms are great for networking and growing a brand, but they can also be a big source of artistic anxiety or stress.
So let’s try to avoid this (or at least, minimize it). And this starts with awareness.
Everyday Can’t Be A Creative W (accept this)
Some days, everything is flowing. Others, not so much.
Even worse, some days will feel like I’m a complete fraud! As if I’m not actually an artist and I don’t belong.
Of course, I know this isn’t true and I know it’s absurd – but those moods still lurk.
But simply accepting and expecting that some days will feel as if nothing is working out helps a lot.
I practice awareness by catching myself in the thought, saying something like: “ah, yes, I know these feelings – and I know them to be untrue. This will fade.”
The more aware you become, the quicker you are at catching yourself in these spiraling thoughts.
And the quicker you get at catching yourself, the less of a hold negativity will have on you and your creative quests.
So it’s not about getting rid of bad days or suppressing your mood about them. It’s instead about expecting them and accepting them.
It’s easier said than done for sure, but you got this. You can also check out my post on how to keep going when you want to quit for more motivation.
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