5 Books for Navigating a Creative Career
The creative path isn't easy.
By nature, it's filled with uncertainty, experimentation, and risk.
I made a conscious choice to pursue that path in my early 20's and it opened doors to people, places, and experiences I couldn't have anticipated.
I remember feeling like a sponge in those early days, soaking up every bit of knowledge and insight I could find.
I'd squeeze the juice out of any podcast, interview, book, workshop, or tutorial I could - franticly writing notes, highlighting, absorbing.
Over the years, these five books have stood out the most.
The ones that I constantly reference and recommend.
They've shaped my perspective of pursuing and maintaining a creative career. Maybe they'll become an invaluable resource for you too.
1. Mastery by Robert Greene
Mastery explores the creative paths of a variety of historical figures - artists, writers, architects, musicians, and more. Greene highlights common themes that laid the groundwork for these creatives to become masters of their craft. There's a strong emphasis on lifelong learning and the idea that Mastery is a pursuit, not a destination.
My Take: I first read Mastery after college, during a summer when I was taking my first steps into my career. At the time, I felt directionless. This book led me to look into the idea of an apprenticeship, which eventually led to working as an assistant to a photographer in New York. It was a pivotal moment the shaped my path.
2. Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
Super short, fun little book. Steal like an artist teaches you how to properly “steal” ideas. And by steal, he means collect, compile, and remix. Nothing is truly original.
My Take: Steal Like an Artist helped me release the pressure of being totally original. It pushed me to dig deeper into why something influences me and how to draw those insights into my own work. It's also the reason I have 2 desks in my workspace... A digital desk and an analog desk :)
3. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Resistance is that weight you feel when trying to push your ideas into reality. The War of Art is a staple for battling against your procrastination and self-doubt.
My Take: I'm constantly fighting creative resistance. Some days I win, sometimes I'm overwhelmed. I have an overflow of ideas and difficulty bringing them all to life. I also struggle with self-doubt constantly, this book is always a good refresher.
4. Atomic Habits by James Clear
Habits shape our entire lives. Small, incremental changes compound into personal transformations. You don't change over night; you set up routines and develop habits that over time, lead you to become a different person.
My Take: Atomic Habits reshaped how I think about my creative routines. It helped me run a half marathon and lose 20 lbs too.
5. The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
This book feels almost philosophical. A creatives bible for living life. It doesn't go into techniques so much as it gives you an introspective framework for maintaining a creative life. The audiobook is particularly calming, almost spiritual, and read by Rick Rubin himself.
My Take: The Creative Act reinforced a feeling of being secure in your creative mind. My favorite concept was the idea that a piece of art is simply a reflection of the moment - a journal entry for that period of time. It doesn't have to represent your past and you don't have to stay connected to it in your future.
This book was a strong reminder that creating doesn’t always have to be about money or clients. It allows you to reconnect with the original reason you pursued this path to begin with, to live a creative life.
Have you read any of these? What else have you read?
Each of these books has impacted my career and mindset in a big way, I hope they might offer you the same.
Let me know if any of these books resonate with you, or if you’ve read one of them before—I’d love to hear what you think.
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