A few years ago, I was a club promoter, server and bartender in downtown Toronto, working over 60 hours per week, scrawling poetry in the notes section of my phone while riding the streetcar at 3 am on my way home from work. On the outside, even my closest friends would’ve thought I was living my best life: Having lots of fun, meeting interesting people and creating memories that others dream about. But, after a few years of wondering why my spirit felt like it was withering, I realized—it wasn’t my dream life that I was living.

On the inside, I was depressed, anxious and above all, I felt tremendous guilt for not being happy despite having everything I was “supposed” to want. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t leading a life that was aligned with my purpose, and it was making me miserable. Everywhere I looked, I could see signs from the Universe that told me to turn around, and take a different path.

If you regularly experience similar feelings of helplessness, confusion and desperation for something more in Life, then I’m sorry to say, friend, that you are also on the wrong path. However, the good news is that realizing you’re not living up to your potential is the first step towards changing your life.

We’re all searching for something that gives us purpose, a deeper meaning that motivates our beliefs and actions.

Without a sense of purpose, life can seem meaningless. Sometimes, that worldview can cloud a person’s perception until they become blind to all the wonder and beauty in the world. If you can’t see all the minute miracles that work together to create this shared experience we call Life, then it’s easy to feel as though it’s all pointless. That feeling is how you know you’ve lost your way.

Ultimately, I believe the most fundamental characteristic of the human condition is that we are all creators to our very core. If you’re passionate about creating art, in any of its many dispositions, then dedicating your professional life to that act of service can bring you the kind of happiness that only comes from self-actualization. However, not everyone who feels lost or purposeless is necessarily destined to have a career as a creator. So, how do you know if you should be an artist, or any kind of professional creative, for that matter?

You know that you’re meant to be an artist, in whatever form that may take, if being creative makes you feel more focused and alive than any other activity. 

In other words, if you look at a blank sheet of paper as though it’s bleeding with unrealized potential, or if cradling a ballpoint pen between your fingers gives you a surge of energy in a way you can’t explain, then you are like me. You are a writer.

If your eyes light up at the sight of richly coloured paints, and you see clearly all the possibilities swimming inside the depths of an empty canvas, then in your heart, you are a painter.

If the idea of creating something out of nothing except strands of your own imagination, and perhaps your knowledge of colour theory, balance, alignment and contrast, makes you feel exhilarated in a way you can’t explain, then you’re an artist, too. You are a designer.

And, if you get excited by the notion of curating a strategic marketing campaign that beautifully articulates and executes the needs and goals of a brand, whether you know it or not, you are also an artist.

Quintessentially, art is simply the act of creation.

If you want to create for a living, in my opinion, that makes you an artist, and this guide is for you.

Step One ~

Recognize that you’re meant to be an artist. Do so by embracing whatever creative activity makes you feel the most alive and energized. Even if you aren’t ready to quit your day job to jump straight into life as an artist (please don’t), acknowledge the level of dedication to your craft that you need to turn it into your profession. Now, I’m not going to promise you that your creative career will be as lucrative as you want it to be. However, I can promise you that committing to routinely nurturing your craft will bring you a sense of fulfillment that is the foundation of lasting happiness. And isn’t creating lasting happiness really the definition of success?

Step Two ~

Be grateful. Start a gratitude journal and openly express gratitude whenever you feel the urge. I can’t stress enough how important developing a grateful mindset is, because if you aren’t grateful for the privileges and opportunities you already have, you won’t be able to recognize any new ones when they cross your path. Get a journal, and start by writing out at least three things you’re grateful for every single day. Soon, you’ll train your brain to accept opportunities that you never would’ve had before, because without the lens of gratitude, you wouldn’t have been able to notice them in the first place. 

Step Three ~

Practice your craft. Whenever possible, preferably as one of the first things you do after waking up. Get into a good routine of habitually honing your skills, whether it’s just for fun or for a project or for a potential work opportunity. Find your state of flow, and take advantage of it. Flow is the phenomenon that happens when you’re so enthralled by your work that you completely lose track of time. If you’re working on creating something, and you look at the clock and it’s been over two hours when you could’ve sworn it had only been one, then you’ve been swept up by the flow. Treasure those moments of transcendence as signs you are going in the right direction.

Step Four ~

Forgive yourself. Understand that nobody is perfect, and life would be heinously boring if everyone was. The greatest inventions and masterpieces of our time came from the perceived failures and mistakes of people just trying to follow their passions. Go so far as to assume you’re going to fail or make a mistake, so when/if it happens you’re not disappointed. Know that finding success and happiness is a lifelong journey, not a destination. Becoming the person that you’re meant to be is a process, not a result. 

Step Five ~

Be your authentic self. Whatever you’re creating, do it with every ounce of youness that you can muster, regardless of what anyone else does. It might take awhile to figure out exactly that means, but you’ll only know through trial and error. Absorb any unique styles that respected members of your field have crafted, but instead of trying to regurgitate them, pick and choose the aspects that resonate with you and mold them into something entirely individual. As a creative, you have to accept that everything is derivative in one way or another. It’s how you choose to transfigure said derivations that ultimately make them your own. 

Step Six ~

Share your work. Show people you trust your polished drafts or whatever project you’re working on, and eventually branch out into showing them to anyone who is interested. Absorb all of the positive and negative feedback with an open mind, learn from the constructive criticism and hold on tight to the compliments. If you ever receive positive feedback in physical form, create a folder of those images, emails and texts for the days that you’re being hard on yourself (because there will always be those days). If you feel so inclined, type out any particularly heartwarming verbal praise you receive, too. Trust me, when you’re beating yourself up over some kind of rejection or dismissal, this folder will remind you that your journey will have hills and valleys, but as long as you keep going you’ll always come out on the other side. 

Step Seven ~

Recognize that you’re already there. If you feel like you’ve gained enough confidence in your work, and have built up a modest portfolio, embody your identity as a professional creative. Learn to see yourself how you wish others to see you, and behave as though you already are. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t been paid to do the creative work that you plan to do as a profession yet. If you want to be a writer, and believe that you’ve developed the skills, then start telling people you’re a writer. If you want to get into digital marketing, and you’ve started designing and utilizing your own digital assets in a strategic way, then call yourself a digital marketer. If you’ve practiced the skills required to be something, and you’ve got enough confidence in your skills to share them, then congratulations. You’ve earned the right to call yourself a creative, and deserve to see yourself as such. 

Step Eight ~

Tell everyone! Everywhere you go, whoever you meet, find a way to mention your work, and identify yourself as the creative you are. Some people might call this method “faking it till you make it” … and those people wouldn’t be wrong! However, you could also choose to see it as believing in yourself. If you have the capabilities, then you’re not “faking” anything. Some day, someone will look at the portfolio you’ve created through practicing your craft and offer you an opportunity you’ll look back on as your big break. But that’s never going to happen if nobody knows what you’re capable of. Look for job opportunities online, but never underestimate the power of networking. Most professional creatives start their careers as freelancers, and when you’re a freelancer (which, in my opinion, is just a less formal way of saying entrepreneur), the world is your job interview. 

In these eight steps, you have set out on your journey towards becoming a professional creative, or in other words, an artist. If these words resonated with you, I implore you to seek out and recognize your soul’s calling to create something bigger than itself. Something that can stand the test of time, and serve as your legacy when your spirit leaves its vessel. Something that represents the inner facets of your heart and mind, expressed in a language that only you can fully comprehend. Have the courage to create something that shows the world who you truly are, and claim it proudly. This is how you will find peace of mind, enduring happiness and by virtue, success.