A few days ago I was at dinner with a good friend of mine. She is a co-director and we were talking about our numerous projects, as well as the myriad of side hustles each of us has pursued in the past to ensure that our lives are successful both financially and creatively. I was expressing my frustration that my work is difficult to talk about because it is so unattainable (and requires more time as an elevator trip to describe). I am a filmmaker working in both commercial and narrative areas. I am also a cinematographer. Actually, it’s the only trade that I have studied in a formal educational setting. I’m a commercial photography professional and it’s been the subject that has received the most praise. I’m also screenwriter. Actually, this was my profession at first and is the base of everything I do.
However when it comes to creating a profitable business, it is beneficial to limit the variety of services you offer so that you can project an overall brand image. This means that, despite my abilities to carry out all the above actions on a professional basis I believe it’s important for me to focus on the most crucial one (or two if they’re similar). The fact that I can boast about my expertise in one field could diminish my credibility in the next. I think about this every when I’m having an interaction with a customer in one place, only to discover that I’ve gone into a different direction regarding a job that I’m working in a totally different field. My diverse experiences provide me with plenty to talk about. However, the stories I share can make my clients confused about the kind of work they should engage me to accomplish. Therefore, I have to figure out how to choose a primary title to use as my primary.
But what title should that be? The reason I’ve become a specialist in all of these areas at some point or the other is because I’m obsessed with each. I do not consider any of them to be pastimes. They’re as essential for me, just like breathing. The challenge of determining what’s most important to me is the same as a parent trying to identify what is their top child. It’s almost impossible. If it were my parents. I’m fairly certain they would choose my sister.
My director friend was in the same dilemma. She is a director however, she is also an Emmy award-winning producer, and is extremely skilled in a variety of areas. She also shared an idea that somebody had given her that struck me. She suggested that your journey to creativity can be compared to taking a hike. On the way you’ll find yourself on a winding trail that requires you to climb a variety of rocks of different dimensions and difficulty to continue moving forward. But ultimately, your final destination isn’t a rock. The final goal is to climb the mountain. It is possible to climb a few hills and cliffs before you reach the summit. However, the summit is where the true goal lies.
She explained that the primary challenge for those who are creative in a variety of areas is to determine the skills and accomplishments that are your most valuable assets and which are your mountain. It’s an incredible feeling of achievement when you can climb the heights of a mountain. It’s a thing to be proud in. But what is the ultimate goal that will bring you the joy of scaling Mount Everest?
It’s not the most complicated analogy however, for some reason, this did make a lot in my head. If I’m honest with myself the mountain has always been transparent. I’ve had the exact goal ever since the age of a kid. My life path has led me to pursue numerous other passions and dreams as I’ve traveled. The idea of pursuing a career based on these skills and interests seemed like a huge climb when I first started. Each climb was an invaluable experience because it helped me develop my imagination and skills.
Okay, I’ve dragged out this point for long enough. I’m not trying to dwell. However, it’s been a great method for me to try to frame my experiences when I take steps to determine what’s next. I’m sure that most of you reading this article are in a similar situation. You’ve got an array of expertise, but aren’t certain of which skills to focus on. Now you have the formula. Is your mountain a rock? What’s your mountain?
