For a long time, I thought my job should be enough.
Enough creativity.
Enough fulfillment.
Enough meaning.
Spoiler: it wasn’t.
So I started creating things outside of work.
Not randomly. Not “just for fun.”
▸ I built my audiovisual production company with the idea of freelancing and eventually living from it.
▸ I started my childfree project with the same goal: more freedom, more autonomy, something truly mine.
What I didn’t expect was realizing that maybe this isn’t the moment yet and that wanting to keep growing professionally, learning from other people and companies, is not a failure. It’s a conscious choice.
This is what creating outside of work has actually taught me.
1. Creative freedom hits different when no one is paying you
There is something deeply uncomfortable—and deeply freeing—about creating when no one is waiting for the result.
No client brief.
No deadline.
No approval chain.
Just you, your idea, and that little voice asking: “Is this even good?”
When I create outside of work, I get to:
▸ Choose the topic
▸ Choose the format
▸ Choose the tone
▸ Choose when to stop (or not)
And that freedom? It’s addictive.
But it’s also scary. Because when something fails, there’s no one else to blame. No “the client didn’t want that.” No “it wasn’t aligned with the strategy.”
It’s just you. And your taste.
Creative freedom teaches you responsibility. And that’s a lesson no corporate job really prepares you for.
2. Patience is not optional (unfortunately)
If there’s one thing personal projects outside work will force you to learn, it’s patience.
You don’t get instant feedback.
You don’t get guaranteed results.
You definitely don’t get linear growth.
I’ve had moments where I felt genuinely excited about something I created…
And then watched it reach basically no one.
No likes.
No comments.
No magical “algorithm moment.”
And that can be brutal.
Especially when you’re used to work where effort is at least acknowledged in some way. Even a bad project still gets a meeting.
Personal projects don’t owe you anything.
They teach you to:
▸ Detach effort from outcome
▸ Keep going without applause
▸ Decide whether you’re creating for validation or for yourself
Uncomfortable? Yes.
Useful? Absolutely.
3. Impostor syndrome shows up loud—and uninvited
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: impostor syndrome.
With my production company, it hit me hard.
There were (and still are) moments when I think:
▸ “Do I really know enough?”
▸ “Who am I to offer this?”
▸ “Everyone else seems more experienced / confident / visible.”
And yet… every time I finish a project, every time someone gives positive feedback, something interesting happens.
The impostor voice gets quieter.
Not because it disappears forever—but because results have a way of grounding you in reality.
Creating outside of work taught me this:
Confidence doesn’t come before doing.
Confidence comes after seeing what you’re capable of.
And you don’t get that without shipping.
4. Not every good idea needs to become a startup
This one was a hard pill to swallow.
The childfree community started with a big idea: an app to help childfree people make friends (not date, just connect).
Sounds great, right?
Reality check:
▸ Technically complex
▸ Time-consuming
▸ Emotionally demanding
▸ Hard to sustain without serious resources
At some point, I had to admit: this doesn’t fit my current life.
And that realization didn’t mean failure. It meant maturity.
Now, that project exists in a different form:
▸ Funny TikTok videos
▸ Relatable content
▸ Zero pressure to “scale”
It’s a hobby. And that’s okay.
Creating outside of work taught me that:
Not everything needs to be monetized, optimized, or turned into a business.
Some things can just exist because you enjoy them.
5. The internet rewards nonsense (and that’s annoying)
Let’s be honest for a second.
It’s frustrating to see:
▸ Silly, low-effort videos go viral
▸ Thoughtful, well-made content struggle for attention
I’ve felt that resentment. The “what’s the point?” energy.
Especially when you care about depth, nuance, and meaningful conversations.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth I learned:
▸ The algorithm doesn’t reward importance
▸ It rewards attention
And fighting that reality only drains your energy.
So instead of getting bitter, I had to ask myself:
▸ Do I want reach, or do I want resonance?
▸ Do I want to entertain, educate, or express?
There’s no wrong answer. But clarity matters.
6. Personal projects sharpen your professional focus
This part surprised me the most.
Creating outside of work didn’t distract me from my career—it clarified it.
Through these side projects, I realized:
▸ What I enjoy doing vs. what drains me
▸ Where I want to grow professionally
▸ What skills I actually want to deepen
Ironically, all this experimentation pushed me to take my Product Marketing (PMM) career more seriously.
Not because side projects failed—but because they showed me where my energy is best invested right now.
Personal projects don’t always lead you away from your job.
Sometimes, they lead you back to it—with more intention.
That’s real career growth.
7. Creating outside work reminds you that you are more than your job
This might be the most important lesson of all.
When your only creative output lives inside your job, your identity gets fragile.
Bad feedback feels personal.
A boring project feels existential.
A career plateau feels like you are stuck.
Creating outside of work builds a buffer.
It reminds you that:
▸ You can make things without permission
▸ You have ideas beyond your role
▸ Your value isn’t limited to your job title
And honestly? That’s powerful.
Final thoughts: create anyway
Will you always feel motivated? No.
Will results come fast? Probably not.
Will impostor syndrome disappear? Don’t count on it.
But creating outside of work will:
▸ Stretch you
▸ Ground you
▸ Annoy you
▸ Teach you
And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
So if you’re feeling stuck, uninspired, or creatively bored:
Don’t wait for the perfect idea.
Don’t wait for validation.
Just create something small. And see what it teaches you.
You might be surprised.
If this resonated with you, take this as your sign to create one thing outside of work this month.
No strategy. No pressure. Just curiosity.
And if you do, I’d love to hear what it is.
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