Remember learning about pioneers heading west in covered wagons? While we romanticize the lone settler, the reality was different. Successful pioneers traveled in well-organized wagon trains, each member contributing specific skills to support the group’s survival.
Strengthen Every Layer of Your Creative Network
Your creative journey isn’t so different.
Our research into creative sustainability reveals something surprising: the most “independent” creators often have the strongest support systems. They just build them strategically so they are often invisible to the outside world. 27 rue de Fleurus, the legendary Parisian salon of Gertrude Stein, is a perfect example of this phenomenon.
Think of your creative support system like a medieval castle, with three distinct layers of protection and connection. At its heart lies your inner circle—the five to seven people who see your work in its rawest form. These are your creative confidants, technical advisors, and early readers who provide both safety to share your developing work and challenge you to refine it.
Surrounding this core, you’ll find your professional garden—fifteen to twenty carefully cultivated relationships that help your work grow and find its audience. These connections aren’t just networking contacts; they’re carefully chosen allies who share your values and support your creative vision while providing crucial professional opportunities.
Finally, your dynamic ecosystem extends your reach while maintaining authentic connections. This broader network consisting of fifty or more relationships creates natural pathways to new opportunities, but it requires careful curation to remain energizing rather than draining.
This week, I want you to focus on mapping your current support system. Take stock of who’s already in your creative castle. Who provides emotional support? Technical guidance? Professional opportunities? More importantly, where are the gaps in your support? Understanding what’s missing is often more valuable than cataloging what you have.
Once you’ve completed your map, choose one layer of your support system to strengthen. But here’s the key: don’t try to build everything at once. Focus on creating one genuine connection this week. Remember, you’re not just collecting contacts—you’re building relationships that will sustain your creative life for years to come.
Read the “Network Architecture” section in The Upspiral Chapter 9 for a deeper understanding of how to structure these relationships. Pay particular attention to the sections about maintaining boundaries while building connections. Your creative ecosystem should energize, not deplete.
Next week, we’ll explore specific skills for maximizing the value of these relationships. For now, focus on mapping and understanding your current support system. And remember—no successful creator truly works alone.
Take a moment today to thank someone in your support system. Gratitude strengthens creative connections in ways we’re only beginning to understand.