The career path of artists and creatives is largely synonymous with a life of sacrifice and uncertainty—as most creative industries are largely risk-based. Personal and professional sacrifices made over time during the in-between of an artist’s development can sometimes breed a fear-of-missing-out of the securities and benefits associated with a traditional career trajectory, which can limit their potential, leaving them anchored in the same GPS radius of limited perspective and professional experience. How can artists and creatives manage and overcome FOMO and avoid a preventive lifestyle, and remain proactive in their careers?
Although a growth mindset is largely touted in overcoming mental roadblocks and self-sabotaging habits, faith is the most effective antidote in cultivating a proactive career approach, as it requires an all-in from all areas of consciousness: mind, body, heart and spirit. In the exercising of faith, there is a vulnerability that coincides with the undertaking of risk that serves to buoy artists and creatives through the sink-or-swim realities of the marketplace. Instead of investing in the laws of the what-ifs that could go wrong or right, faith serves to redirect focus on the invitation and realization of opportunities ahead.
Within scripture, there is an oft-cited example of the power dynamic and advantages of faith in the account of the Apostle Peter walking on water at Christ’s invitation. After Peter steps forward to join Christ on the water, he begins to sink, after noticing the elements around him:
“So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water—But when he noticed the strong wind, he was afraid and started to sink down in the water--he cried, ‘Save me, Lord!’”
Afterwards, Christ immediately reached out to grab hold of him—indicating that Peter was in proximity of his opportunity to join Christ side-by-side. Although Peter became distracted by the elements and began to sink, in his venturing forward to accept Christ’s invitation without instruction or foresight, he is the only one of the Apostles who gained an experiential knowledge and insight into the existing power and relationship between heaven and earth beyond the natural laws confining his perspective and experience—in effect, his faith and proactive step forward, served as a evidence of the growth mindset that was essential as an disciple of Christ, and an additional qualifier towards Christ’s plans and blueprint for the Kingdom, as he would later proclaim:
“And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
Faith is an effective combatant against fear, yielding an experiential advantage that can only be achieved through a proactive response in recognizing and responding to the invitation of opportunity ahead. The exercising of faith is instrumental to cultivating a growth mindset necessary in the professional development of artists and creatives.