Novice Enthusiasm: Curiosity, Belief, and the Road Less Traveled

Do you remember the moment you actually decided to go for it—to make a life in the creative industry? Was the world cheering you on, or were you out there all by yourself? What was going on around you at the time you took your first intentional steps toward being a creative professional?

For me, it happened when I was 25, and my world was turned upside down. I’d fallen in love with someone outside my religious community (resulting in my expulsion), and though I didn’t know it at the time, I had a baby on the way. I was working crazy hours at a popular Japanese restaurant—waiting tables, making sushi, raking in pretty good tips, but I knew that wasn’t going to be sustainable for much longer though. Friends, family, and everyone in between offered the usual advice: “Pray on it,” “Learn a trade,” “Get a real job.” But the more I watched people around me follow that script, the more I noticed they didn’t seem truly happy.

I didn’t have the words for it back then, but I knew I didn’t want to hit 80 years old and realize my biggest achievement was following a template somebody handed me. So, I took what little cash I had, opened my sketchbook, and started writing and drawing comics. To some of my friends, it probably looked downright nuts. And in a way, it was. But I just couldn’t see myself trudging along in a life of unfulfilled potential. It took years before I could make art and design my full-time gig, but that goal is what kept me alive during so much chaos.

I've worked with a lot of successful artists over the years and not one of them has given me the impression that their career was the "safe bet". But you know what? No matter how many ups and downs they’ve had in their career, they all say they wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s just what they do and they treat it as if there is no other option. So, when you think back to where you were when you made the decision to be a full-time creative, what feeling made you choose the path of most resistance? Even the question implies boldness in your answer.

For me, I distill it down to "curiosity" and "belief". Those are the two most beautiful motivators and personality traits in the novice enthusiast. They can work separately, but if they're activated at the same time, they become a perpetual energy source for the creative mind. Curiosity says, “What if I try this?” Belief says, “I bet I can make that happen.” That's how it works. You've experienced it. That's what got you here. So, what made you curious and what did you believe about yourself back then? Answer that, and you'll find that you have always been your biggest and most unique source of inspiration.