What does it mean to live the creative lifestyle? I set out on an internet search this morning to blog on it. I’ve lived it my whole life (more or less) and occasionally I pause to take stock. This time, as I look through 25 years of portfolio photographs searching for my next direct mail campaign, I wonder how we measure creative success?

I dearly hope it’s not the car one drives, or the size of the LCD Screen hanging on the wall of a 5 bedroom ranch. If that’s it, me thinks I'm heading in the wrong direction.

In my search I found a post by Tyler Young [ fellow photographer and font designer – and writer ] at .www.meantangerine.com. I’m going to include a couple paragraphs here because I think nearly every creative professional can relate to it.

“I am so completely overwhelmed by the challenge I have set before myself, that I have lost the desire to rid myself of that sinking feeling I am lost in its midst. It’s a funny sort of realization to make; when your fight becomes so encompassing that you can no longer tell if you are winning or losing, it feels a lot like failure.

The idea of success, as it seems to me, relies as much on measurable progress, as it does on the preliminary goal. But what happens when your progress comes slowly, and instead of pre-planned achievements, brings setbacks that challenge your very sensibilities? What happens when you begin to appreciate your ability to survive your own goals as much as the idea of one day achieving them?” - Tyler Young

In my experience, the last sentence says it best. To be in the creative lifestyle is to survive your goals in the hopes that someday your goals will survive you. With nearly 30 years in the creative lifestyle, I guess I should be nearly blown away by my ability to survive my own goals. [chortle out loud] Let's hope something survives me.

The reason for hanging in is the journey. A good friend of mine pointed out to me recently that a creative lifestyle is not only great for what it produces, but fto what it allows you access. Creative success is a rich life. Take it how you like.

Thanks Tyler – I’ll toast you with my evening martini for your encouragement.