#286: Minimum Viable Passion (The Fun Way to Downsize Distraction)

August 25, 2020 — The problem with being creative is you want to do it all, but you don’t have time. The Minimal Viable Passion lets you keep your side-passions without getting distracted.

As an ADHD creative, I have a lot of passions. Writing, design, coding, drawing, running, hiking, reading, drumming, producing music, baking, sewing…

The list is endless.

I never saw this as a problem, but when I started a 365-day illustration challenge last November, I had to focus on ONE THING religiously for the first time in my life.

It was like trying to walk a hundred-and-one Dalmatians down Fifth Avenue.

In March, I had a “this town ain’t big enough for the two of us” moment. My comics weren’t getting the attention they deserved, and it was either give up my side-passions or give up my challenge.

Selling My Soul

My main distraction was drumming (I still had dreams of being in a rock band), so I decided to sell my drums.

It was crushing because I knew that it might be years or decades before I could afford to replace my kit.