Surviving on one singular skill has become more challenging than ever before.
The digital age has ushered in unprecedented disruptions across industries, leaving professionals vulnerable to unpredictable market forces. This phenomenon, once primarily affecting factory workers, now extends its reach to actors, actresses and creatives, making adaptability and digital literacy crucial.
Embracing digital literacy doesn't mean sacrificing creativity; it enhances it. We can be artists and entrepreneurs simultaneously. It's time to let go of the belief that talent alone will take us there, and the ‘I’m not tech savvy’ will keep you broke.
I want to be abundantly clear that no one is diminishing the rights of workers to strike, and the importance of making a decent living. But we’re faced with a choice.
Learning to code saved my bacon, especially when the pandemic struck.
There is no way I’d be able to put food on the table without it, and if all I had was acting income I’d be in some deep doo-doo.
I learned a valuable lesson.
What got you here won’t get you there.
Streaming means the entertainment industry has undergone a seismic shift and AI guarantees to shift it even more.
By becoming digitally literate, we empower ourselves to navigate the ever-changing entertainment landscape. We no longer have to wait for traditional gatekeepers; we can create our own opportunities and forge paths to success.
These market shifts mirror the uncertainty faced by factory workers in the past, where automation and outsourcing threatened job stability. Actors and actresses, too, now find themselves susceptible to these market forces, and traditional ways of building a career are no longer sufficient.
To thrive in this new landscape, we must embrace digital literacy and at the very least get familiar with basic coding skills (spoiler alert: it’s free to learn but you have to put in the work). None of the people I admire reached their heights of success by doing one thing well. They had to be chameleons, and they had to be open to change regardless of how uncertain it seemed.
The boomer generation's paradigms and beliefs no longer hold true in this new era. You’re not going to have the same job for 20 years. Degrees and the astronomical cost of an education are okay, but it does nothing to help you deal with failure or how to create value for others. And failure is coming. The "starving artist" mentality, once accepted as an inherent part of pursuing a creative career, is rubbish.
Embracing an entrepreneurial mindset, leveraging digital tools, and creating various revenue streams are what will define your career.
Diversifying skill sets and staying adaptable to industry trends is crucial for long-term survival.
For most of my time learning to code I felt like a failure. I was older than everybody else in the class (by at least ten years) and I suck at taking tests. But I stuck with it, and for 60 hours a week for 12 weeks I forced myself to unlearn and unleash the luggage I had been saddled with from my formal education experience. Smartest decision I’ve ever made. I’m no Bill Gates but I can create a future for myself. And you can too. Here’s a few FREE links you need to check out.
Start here with the basics. This guy is incredible.
Here’s one that is self paced and helps you build a portfolio.
Ready to move faster? Build 30 awesome projects in 30 days. This guy also has a must-listen podcast. And he’s superb.
Get it done. See you on set.