I’m trying to be an entrepreneur when really I’m an artist.
I struggle being in an entrepreneur’s skin because it feel violating to have to hold your work up to the demands of a market.
But I know that’s flawed thinking and that it’s better to do something rather than talking about doing nothing.
I strongly dislike the idea of being a prescriptive blogger — one who doles out advice. I don’t like that because the intent always feels loaded — I’m doing this with the hope that at one point you will give me money in exchange for what I have. And that just feels dirty.
But real artists ship, and I’d rather be an artist who gives gifts of beauty and truth with the byproduct of inspiration that a businessman who makes tough decisions that end up hurting people, all for the sake of the bottom line.
The people I admire most are the ones who give a gift without expectations of anything in return. Yet the ones who are handsomely compensated are the ones I respect the most. Why is that?
My problem is that I expect something in return.