This Week’s Best Career Advice From Top Creatives

career advice for creatives

Need some motivational career advice post-Memorial Day weekend? In an effort to make the return from holiday break slightly more bearable, Creative Live is jump starting your short week with a roundup of our favorite job tips from experts in every field –– be it art, design, fashion or business. Whether you’re embarking on a brand-spankin’ new career path or happy as a clam in your current one, everyone needs the occasional kick-in-the-pants when it comes to getting motivated. Get inspired by the words of wisdom below so you’re ready to dive into your work week! And yes, there are even more fabulous tips than usual thanks to a little something called commencement season.

Do What Is Good –– For You and The World

“Steve [Jobs] was an idealist … He convinced me that if we worked hard and made great products, we, too, could help change the world. Your challenge is to find work that pays the rent, puts food on the table, and lets you do what is right and good and just.” –– Tim Cook ,CEO of Apple Inc.

Passion Is Unique, So Don’t Let Others Define It For You

“Your passion may be hard to spot, so keep an open mind and keep searching. And when you find your passion, it is yours, not what someone else thinks it should be. Don’t let anyone else define your passion for you because of your gender or the color of your skin.” –– Condoleezza Rice, political scientist and diplomat.

Take A Chance on Cutting Edge

“My advice to women is go to a company you’re passionate about. But if it happens to be on the cutting edge of something, at least to me, that’s where it’s really fun.” –– Melinda Gates, business woman and philanthropist.

A Job = What You Love + What You’re Good At

“Visualize the road ahead, think about what excites you — what really gets your engine going. Engage in some real soul-searching. Take a good, hard look at your strengths and weaknesses. … A fulfilling professional life can be found at the intersection of what you love and what you’re good at. And when you think you’ve discovered it, go at it full-throttle. … Finding the right work takes work and time. But don’t wait forever to find your bliss or you may find yourself 30 and living in your parents’ basement eating microwave popcorn and binge-watching re-runs of The O.C.” –– Katie Couric, journalist.

You Will Fail Sometimes, and That’s Okay

“You have to have tough skin. Depending on which field you want to pursue, I think that it’s all about you being able to have setbacks and know that you will fail at times, but the important thing is how you get up and how long you continue to get up and push forward.” –– Dascha Palanco, star of Orange Is The New Black.

Set Your Own Standards

“People my age will sometimes say to you, ‘Hey, that work you did, that thing you said, that cause you championed, it’s not good.’ Well, having your own standards will help you weather moments like that. Having your own standards allows you to perceive success where others may see failure.” –– Stephen Colbert, comedian.

Be A Risk Taker

“Don’t be afraid to take risks, well-informed risks,” Ashley Olsen, former member of Full House / businesswoman / designer.

Mehera Bonner FOLLOW >

Mehera Bonner is a freelance lifestyle and entertainment writer. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and two children.