Quit Job for Creative Passion: A Practical Guide

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 18 July 2023 6 min read

Are you feeling the pull of your creative side, yearning to leave the 9-5 grind behind and make your passion your profession? It's a bold move, one that requires planning, courage, and resilience. Consider this your practical guide to making the leap: quitting your job and pursuing your creative passion. Let's explore this exciting journey together.

Evaluate Your Creative Passion

To start your journey towards turning your passion into a career, it is critical to understand what your creative passion truly means to you. Is it a hobby or a career? How does it align with your life goals? And most importantly, can you make a living out of it? Let's delve deeper into these significant aspects.

Is it a Hobby or a Career?

First things first, you need to distinguish between a hobby and a career. A hobby is something you enjoy doing in your free time, while a career is a long-term professional commitment that involves earning a living. While making the leap to pursue your creative passion, it's crucial to understand if your passion has the potential to become a sustainable career.

For example, you may enjoy painting, but can you envision yourself working as a professional artist, selling your artworks, and facing the highs and lows of the art industry? If the answer is yes, you're on the right track.

How Does Your Passion Align with Your Goals?

Next, it's time to reflect on how your creative passion aligns with your personal and professional goals. Are you seeking more freedom, fulfillment, or simply a change of pace? Understanding the 'why' behind your desire to leave your job can help you stay focused and motivated during this transition.

For instance, if you're a corporate employee dreaming of becoming a travel photographer, your main goal might be to achieve more freedom and explore the world. In this case, making the leap towards your creative passion aligns perfectly with your life goals.

Can You Make a Living?

Finally, the practical aspect: financial viability. Can your passion pay the bills? This is a tough but necessary question to ask. However, don't let financial fears stop you from pursuing your dream. There are countless stories of individuals who started their creative journeys part-time while maintaining their day jobs till they could fully support themselves.

For example, J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, was a single mother living on state benefits when she started writing the series. Today, she's one of the wealthiest authors in the world. So, while making the leap, keep in mind that your initial steps might be small, but with determination and hard work, you can turn your creative passion into a profitable career.

Plan Your Transition

Once you've evaluated your creative passion and its potential as a viable career, the next step in making the leap is planning your transition. This involves setting achievable goals, forecasting your financial needs, and preparing for challenges. Let's get into the details.

Set Achievable Goals

Setting clear, achievable goals is the first step in your transition plan. Ask yourself: What do you want to achieve in the next six months? The next year? The next five years? Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, also known as SMART goals.

For instance, if you're a baker planning to open your own bakery, a SMART goal could be: "Secure financing for the bakery within the next six months." This goal is specific (securing financing), measurable (within six months), achievable (with the right business plan), relevant (necessary to open the bakery), and time-bound (six months).

Forecast Your Financial Needs

Forecasting your financial needs is another critical aspect of your transition plan. You need to be realistic about the costs involved in pursuing your creative passion and plan your finances accordingly. This might involve saving enough money to cover your living expenses for a certain period, or securing a loan to start your creative venture.

For example, if you're a fashion designer planning to start your own brand, you'll need to budget for materials, manufacturing costs, marketing, and possibly a physical or online store. By forecasting these costs, you can avoid financial stress as you make the leap towards your creative passion.

Prepare for Challenges

Finally, it's important to remember that any major transition comes with its set of challenges. Whether it's financial hurdles, self-doubt, or the fear of failure, preparing for these challenges beforehand can make your journey smoother.

Remember, challenges are part of the process and they can foster growth. As Thomas Edison once said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." So, keep moving forward and use these challenges as stepping stones towards your dream.

Execute Your Plan

You've evaluated your passion, set achievable goals, and prepared for the financial needs and potential challenges. Now, it's time to take action—let's put that plan into motion. This involves quitting your job responsibly, establishing a creative routine, and building and maintaining professional relationships.

Quit Your Job Responsibly

Before you leap into your creative passion, it's important to leave your current job on a positive note. Give your employer ample notice, offer to help with the transition, and keep your relationships intact. Remember, the world is small, and the connections you've made in your current job might help you in your new creative path.

For example, if you're a graphic designer at a tech company planning to go freelance, your former colleagues could become your first clients. So, leaving your job responsibly is not just the right thing to do—it could also be beneficial for your creative career.

Establish Your Creative Routine

Once you've made the leap, it's time to establish your creative routine. This might involve setting aside specific hours for your creative work, taking breaks to avoid burnout, and finding a workspace that inspires you. Remember, creativity thrives on routine.

Let's take the case of famous author Stephen King. He writes 2,000 words every day, even on holidays. This kind of discipline can help you stay productive and focused on your creative goals.

Build and Maintain Professional Relationships

Finally, don't forget to build and maintain professional relationships. This might involve networking with other creatives, joining professional organizations, or collaborating with others in your field. As they say, it's not just what you know, but also who you know.

For instance, if you're a photographer, you might want to connect with local wedding planners, real estate agents, or magazine editors. These professional relationships can open doors to new opportunities and help you grow in your creative career.

Stay Motivated

Despite having made the leap into your creative passion, there will be days when motivation may seem to elude you. Don't worry, it's part of the journey. The key is to remind yourself of your goals, seek support from others, and celebrate each small victory along the way.

Remind Yourself of Your Goals

Keeping your ultimate goal in mind can be a powerful motivator. Make a list of the reasons why you chose to pursue your creative passion and keep it somewhere you can see every day. This could be a vision board in your workspace or a list of goals on your fridge. Say, if you're an aspiring author, your list might include publishing your first novel, seeing your name in a bookstore, or receiving a positive review from a reader.

Seek Support from Others

Remember, you're not alone on this journey. Surrounding yourself with supportive friends, family, and other creatives can make a world of difference. They can provide encouragement, share their experiences, and even offer practical advice.

Consider joining a local artists' group or an online forum for creatives. You might be surprised at how much you can learn from others who are also making the leap into their creative passions.

Celebrate Small Victories

Every step forward, no matter how small, is still progress. So, celebrate your small victories—whether it's finishing a chapter of your book, selling your first painting, or even just sticking to your creative routine for a week. These small wins can boost your confidence and keep you motivated as you continue to pursue your creative passion.

Remember, the journey towards making the leap from a job to pursuing your creative passion is a marathon, not a sprint. Take it one day at a time and don't forget to enjoy the process along the way.

If you're considering quitting your job to pursue your creative passion, don't miss the workshop 'How to Make a Living from your Passion' by Tom. This workshop will provide you with practical tips and guidance on how to turn your passion into a sustainable and fulfilling career.