How Industry Creatives Can Thrive in 2025.
The Case for Embracing Rest
In these turbulent times, industry insiders, economists, and thought leaders alike are urging creatives to rethink how they navigate this period of uncertainty. The mantra "Survive until 2025" has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering both seasoned professionals and emerging talents a tagline to cling to.
On the surface, this message seems reasonable—perhaps even comforting. Yet, in a world where the masses unwind by asking, "What will I watch tonight?" it can feel like a cruel tease to those whose creative output is in perpetual demand.
The stark reality is that many of us are struggling to survive, clinging desperately to the hope that one day the security promised by our creative talents will be ours to experience. But with so much downtime, what’s the most meaningful use of a creative’s time?
I say, rest.
Rest is often mistaken for laziness, especially in a world that equates worth with constant productivity. For creatives, the pressure to produce is immense—writing is exhausting, directing demands intense emotional intelligence, and filmmaking drains our very souls.
Yet, within the sacred space of rest lies the opportunity to reconnect with the most important relationship of all—the relationship with yourself. As the industry slows to a crawl, why not take this time to reevaluate, reconfigure, think deeply, listen intently, or—dare I say it—do nothing at all?
Writers, perhaps more than anyone, understand the dual nature of a blank page. It offers boundless freedom but also stirs profound fear. It’s easy to question how rest could possibly fuel your creative career, but hear me out.
Our minds are rarely at rest. Whether we’re firing off ideas for the next writer’s room session, wrestling with economic anxiety, or wondering how to repair relationships strained by our pursuit of greatness, rest may be the antidote. Within the quietude of rest, we have the chance to craft our own narrative, to explore the themes that define our lives. For me, the question has always been: What am I meant to say?
A few years ago, I found myself drowning in near-weekly meetings with some "genre-agnostic" production company, bending my soul to fit a book or idea I wasn’t passionate about. Often, after months of unpaid labor, the final message was the same: “You’re great! We love all the work you’ve done, but we’re going in a different direction.”
In that time—time I can never get back—I didn’t earn a single dime. What if I had used that time to silence the noise of the industry and excavate a character that held real heart and meaning for me? Where could I be now?
Consider the fractured relationships that have developed as we’ve pursued our art. What if we used this time to understand our actions and their origins, to confront these issues head-on and heal? How much healthier could we be?
If financial distress weighs heavily, why not explore a new job—one that offers the space to truly clock out, preserving our emotional reserves for the creative deadlines that will inevitably return?
Most of us are actively trying to figure out our next move, rather than seizing this rare opportunity to think deeply about ourselves and our needs. Instead of viewing this period with resentment, as if the industry has shut its doors on us, what if we saw it as an opportunity to rest and become whole?
We could courageously see this as a chance to write a new story—one where we are healthy, have diverse income streams, and genuinely enjoy life’s simple pleasures: a meal, quietness, intimacy.
Let’s not rush into the next project out of fear or desperation. Instead, let’s recognize the privilege of this space to rest and allow our best selves to emerge, ready to THRIVE on the other side of 2025.
