Does Creative Adjacent Work Harm Our Creative Work?

Gifted Underachievers · Oct 22, 2026 · 25m

Many creatives engage in creative-adjacent work—editing, teaching, commissions, etc.—to make a living utilizing their respective creative skillset. Often, too, we do this work to gain entrance into not just the creative economy but also the creative world we want to be part of.

However, these creative-adjacent careers can take on a life of their own as the paid work crowds out the capacity to do the work we really want to do.

In this segment, we float out the premise that to succeed at any of these supposed “side hustles” requires an incredible amount of dedication, skills-building, and time…