Is the Creative Hustle Connected to High-Functioning Anxiety?

This story is for all the creative hustlers out there, for those who’ve turned their passions into their work. Let’s break down what it takes.

The Creative Hustle

We are taught to say yes. Always and frequently.

In Los Angeles, an emerging actor bounds from lucrative commercial gig to studio feature film and picks up an unpaid festival-worthy short in between.  An up-and-coming director self-funds a collection of visionary short films while working on studio-backed music videos, agency-found commercials, and work-for-hire films from the indie community. A new writer juggles writing for someone else’s show while working on a dozen original screenplays and finding ways to get them produced. A painter re-approaches the canvas after work at the gallery, a dancer runs to class after a full day on set, and a singer-songwriter reaches for the guitar after updating their distribution platforms.

To chase a career grounded in passion requires endurance — saying yes to opportunities when they come your way and producing your own when they don’t. Yes, yes, and yes.

As a result, obligation’s cup can runneth over.

It’s a gift to be overbooked and hyper-productive. A full schedule offers plentiful opportunity to experiment with craft, collaborate with other creatives, and play. Plus, your portfolio will grow.

Undoubtedly, the work-life balance gets grey. Unlike the conventional 9-5 model, creative work comes in waves and requires inconsistent time commitments. So, the hyper-productive creative must fall in love with their goals, every day, and find new and original ways to manifest them. Committing to a non-linear career (“to follow dreams”) means committing to the work fervently. But, unlike most clock-in/clock-out workers, the creative worker loves what they do. That’s the advantage, even between gigs.

Many creative hustlers have a side-hustle, at least at the start. Waiting tables, nannying, doing entry-level admin work. For some, the side hustle might be the most consistent form of income, and perhaps enjoyable. But non-creative paychecks shouldn’t be what guides you. The creative work must guide you, even when it’s less lucrative. So, in theory, the side-hustle becomes your “paid time off” from the creative hustle.

One look at your calendar and you’re completely booked.

In their book, Unrealistic Dreams, Olatunde Sobomehin & Sam Seidel write:

“Creative hustle is the alchemy of imagination and ambition that will enable you to apply your gifts to reach your goals.”

They go on to say:

“A creative hustler is someone who seeks to live beyond the limits set around them.”

Forging your own creative ecosystem requires talent, innovation, and grit. And that can take a toll on the mind and body. The enemy of the hustle is, inevitably, burnout — to be avoided through different styles of “finding that calm.”

But, in those moments of calm, the creative hustler may not be able to “turn it off.” Instead, they may experience a bit of anxiety, an inbounding surge of psychological noise.

High-Functioning Anxiety & Overcoming Self-Doubt 

You’re slaying your creative hustle, you solidified your skin-care routine, and you’ve got a solid group of friends. From the outside, you’re happy and confident with who you are. And, sometimes, that’s true, especially with the help of productive and social distractions.

Yet, sometimes, on the inside, you slip into a state of worry. You second guess if the work you’re producing is actually good, you question if people genuinely like you, and you wonder how you can be doing more to reach your goals.

Wondermind’s Kara Cuzzone writes:

“People with high-functioning anxiety can experience the exact same symptoms as those with a diagnosable anxiety disorder, like constant worrying, feelings of restlessness, or a racing heart. The difference is, with high-functioning anxiety, those symptoms don’t get in the way of relationships, progress at work, or taking care of your basic needs.”

How does the creative hustler alleviate transient feelings of anxiety and overcome moments of self-doubt?

Kara Cuzzone goes on to say:

“[According to licensed therapist Micheline Maalouf], mindfulness exercises can … be helpful in the long and short term. When you’re anxious, you’re typically ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, and mindfulness techniques can help bring you back to the present moment.”

For the creative hustler, putting aside time for mindfulness may seem like an unnecessary addendum to an already jam-packed schedule. But, without time spent disconnected from the hustle, without allowing space for inspiration, your art could go stale.

The Poetry of Life

When you remember the reason why you became a creative, the hustle momentarily slips away.

Artists of all mediums experience the poetry of life and use their gifts to try and explain it. So, living authentic, interesting lives is compulsory to make art that effectively reflects the world.

Thus, breaking away from the creative hustle is part of the creative hustle. Let’s call it ‘disconnected inspiration.’ It may take the form of travel, reading, working-out, or meditating (maybe on the beach).

For some, it can be scheduled daily. For others, in waves. Regardless how it looks for you, submitting to moments of disconnected inspiration will only make your art better and your hustle stronger.

Keep making moves.