Name: Does Getting A Day Job Mean Giving Up On Your Dream?
Uploaded: 2016-11-04T16:00:49.000Z
Duration: 7 min 9 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

To-infinitive

Hey there, it’s Marie Forleo and you are watching MarieTV, the place to be to create

Now, if you’ve ever wondered if getting a day job means that you’re giving up on

your dreams, this episode is a must watch.

Today’s question comes from Natalie and she writes:

Dear Marie, I watch one of your videos almost every morning over breakfast.

I’m 29 years old and living in Austin, Texas.

I’ve always dreamed of being a full time author and illustrator.

I’ve got the talent, patience, and determination for it.

In fact, my first book was just published.

I’m a firm believer that you bring about what you think about.

I feel like I’ve been visualizing and goal setting until I’m blue in the face and I’m

working my butt off trying to promote this book and I am broke.

I don't fancy being penniless, but I also don’t want to throw up my hands up and say,

I got a different job so clearly I do not believe you have my back and I do not believe

I’m creative through and through and want nothing more than to live from my writing

and art, but the clock is ticking and I’m having to pull the purse strings so tight

Does getting a day job mean I’m giving up on my dream?

I have a lot to say on this topic in this order.

So first up, books are nothing but big business cards.

Generally speaking and especially in the beginning.

You need to know this, that most authors aren’t able to make a full time living off of their

So I want you to ask any writer if they were able to make a living off of their first book

and they will probably fall off their chair laughing.

Exhibit A is my friend and author Cheryl Strayed, who wrote the mega bestseller Wild.

Now, she recently confessed that even after her book hit the big time and Oprah had her

on her show, she was actually sitting there talking to Oprah, and she was nearly broke.

I mean, how’s that for a reality check?

Number two, many talented artists support their work, not the other way around.

So there are millions of writers and illustrators out there who are real artists that support

I mean, some of them teach, some of them have day jobs or totally unrelated sources of income.

Does that somehow make them not real artists?

In fact, my friend Liz Gilbert shares that she did not make a dime off of her writing

for the first 10 years and then for the next 10 years after having published 3 books she

still kept day jobs to make sure she had other streams of income to rely on.

That is 20 years and she is one of the most dedicated creatives I have ever met.

I also love the pact that she made with herself and her writing at age 15.

She said I will never ask you to provide for me financially, I will always provide for

Now, if you want to hear more about that, I would highly suggest that you watch our

The third thing is the universe won’t help you if you do not help yourself.

Look, I know you’re worried that the universe is somehow going to interpret you getting

a day job as some sign that you don't believe in yourself, your art, or your goal of earning

a living from your writing, but what if it was actually the opposite?

What if the universe was actually thinking this:

“Well, Natalie must not care that much about her art because she’s choosing this stressed

I’m sending her signs to get a day job, but all she does is keep making these vision

I just can’t support someone who’s not going to at least support themselves.

Seriously though, the universe is speaking to you right now and you want to know what

It’s saying get a freaking job, woman, so you can stop stressing out and get back to

If this is the work that you must do, then you’ve gotta do it and do whatever else

I mean, like you I also believe in a kind and supportive universe, but I also believe

Look, I’ve gotta be real here, visualization and goal setting, all that stuff is great,

but you have to marry it with real world practicality.

I mean, in my own life I had a whole bunch of side jobs for almost 8 years and those

side jobs, they were my saving grace when I was getting started.

And in my opinion, creative dreams and day jobs, they go together like mac and cheese,

like guac and chips, like cookie dough and rose.

Cookie dough and a fine pinot noir, perhaps.

Now, to be clear, I am not suggesting that you drop the goal of making money from your

I’m just suggesting that you drop the stress that comes from demanding that your art pays

And anytime you’re unsure, remember this.

Getting a job never means that you’re giving up on your dream.

What is your take on day jobs and creative dreams?

Do you now or have you ever funded your creative dreams with other sources of income?

Any lessons from the field that you can share that would support Natalie?

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Does Getting A Day Job Mean Giving Up On Your Dream?

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