Art and Commerce Do Mix – Ditch the “Starving Artist” Mindset & Upgrade Your Limiting Beliefs About Money & Creativity

Can you be successful at art and business? Can you sell your work without compromising your artistic integrity?

We’re all familiar with the identity of the starving artist.

The assumption that artists and freelance creatives must forego financial stability to preserve their creative integrity usually goes unchallenged. It’s taken as a fact of life, like gravity. Art and commerce don’t mix. They’re fundamentally at odds. You’d better love what you do because passion don’t pay, pal. 

This mentality runs rampant in art schools, creative writing programs, and even the online creator community.

But what if that way of thinking is wrong? What if art and commerce can mix and always have?

You don't need to struggle with money just because you want to keep creativity and craft front and center in your life. The truth is, you can make exceptionally good stuff while also creating a great livelihood for yourself. You can put an end to the starving artist mentality and embrace the reality that the right people will place a high value on your work.

In Episode 007, Austin discusses the false dichotomy between art and commerce. He then breaks down the Japanese concept of “ikigai. Finally, he encourages freelancers to overcome self-limiting beliefs about money by viewing it as a tool – rather than a goal – that allows them more creativity, freedom, and generosity.

Key points

• Intro (00:00)
• The "Ikigai" Concept and How It Relates to Freelancers (00:35)
• The False Dichotomy Between Art and Commerce (02:43)
• How Do We Define Artistic Integrity Anyway? (06:52)

Notable Quotes

"None of us can really make the case that financial struggles somehow make you a better artist, or that not struggling financially means you're bound to compromise your artistic integrity."

"Being paid to use a skill does not make you a second-rate artist, and not getting paid does not make you a first-rate artist."

"If we learn how to make more money in less time, we can serve our customers better, have more freedom, and give more generously without burning out or becoming people we don't like."

"Let’s toss out our false dichotomies into the wind and come up with some more robust and durable beliefs about the relationship between art and commerce. Once we upgrade our beliefs, we'll find it easier to build freelance businesses that we really love."

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

For specific beliefs, principles, and practices you can use right away to make the freelance game more profitable and satisfying, subscribe to Freelance Cake podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!