5 Ways to Get Creatively Inspired in Crypto
Every industry requires innovators. Within us all, there’s a capacity to flourish and fill these roles with hope and excitement. Yet during this unique great resignation, workers are demanding more — and the reasons for this shift aren’t all that rosy. From pay gaps and glass ceilings to childcare challenges and inflation, the global demand for change is not about to trade its long-term agenda for a quick buck.
Over the past year, we’ve seen crypto and fintech ecosystems play a huge role in redirecting time and talent towards a digital focus. Whether they’re Bitcoin enthusiasts starting new roles outside of legacy corporations, day traders taking their side gig to the main stage or working moms balancing online classes on their already full plate…crypto has carved out a niche for those looking to blend old cash rules with a little novelty.
I’d love to tell you five different ways that I’ve come to terms with my own “great resignation” by integrating crypto into daily work. While a couple of them actually did revolutionize my career, the rest just made it a little more fun.
1. Find Your Tribe
For me, it was a crypto class, discord channels, Twitter Spaces, and a NFT poetry group on Instagram that inspired and held my interest in the blockchain. Those communities made me feel that despite all the time I spend cooped up working on projects at home on the computer, there are so many open-minded individuals and groups out there that I can network with. The crypto ecosystem is brimming with innovation on every app and each channel — it’s all about tuning in, staying safe and connecting authentically. When you find people you trust, they just might show you a world of crypto knowledge and exposure beyond your own.
2. Decentralize Your Work
We’ve been accustomed to Web2.0 for some time now. Whether you’re a writer, designer, or in any other creative field, social media is relied on for work and collaboration. The advent of Web3 brings with it newer, decentralized platforms that can be a lot of fun to explore and learn from no matter your industry or background. While Medium, Instagram and Facebook are familiar territory, branching out to Mirror, Minds or a host of other innovative spaces could give many creatives not only a financial incentive but also a whole new audience and community. They’re also often censorship resistant, which can have many different implications for your work.
3. Make AI Friends
When I first was introduced to AI solutions for creative work I was hesitant to use them. But the more I explore these tools the more I realize they can complement my work rather than compete with it. In NFTs we see direct and fruitful collaboration between designers and generative art tools. One popular app for creating AI artwork is Night Cafe (and there are many others to check out). When I was interested in creating my own brand for crypto content creation, I even tried out an AI logo generator (thanks Maria!). It didn’t prohibit me from working with designers, it just added to what we were doing together.
Though I haven’t given this a whirl, there are many AI writing assistants that can help us turn ideas into stories. AI is an increasingly important tool to spark creativity and meet the demands of our ever-changing technological landscape.
4. Keep Learning
I’ve been very vocal about what launched my career in crypto currency: Pomp’s Crypto Academy, plus several subsequent courses on Coursera and daily videos on YouTube. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to learn about crypto, fintech and Web3. Even though we are busy, the accessibility of these classes makes them easier to fit into our schedules. No matter what field you work in or what career shift you’re planning to make, there is something out there for everyone – and it just might turn your day job into something you love full time.
5. Earn Passive Income (While Doing More of What You Enjoy)
Sometimes the art or the creation isn’t what gets us a ton of money and that’s okay. With liquidity options, staking pools or P2E NFT gaming, there are ways to (cautiously!) explore making some side income through crypto and maybe give you more time back in the long run. Not financial advice, but some examples would be Simple Swap, Sushi Swap and play-to-earn games like ICE poker. As with all of defi, there are risks and there’s a learning curve — but if it’s something you’re comfortable with, more and more opportunities for staking crypto and earning yield are available.
As we incorporate more creative tools and outlets into our routines, there’s room to shift our work life balance to reflect our authentic desires and passions. Even in an unbearably bearish market, there are lots of exciting ways to stay inspired while learning and earning together.