Creative Fulfillment & Financial Prosperity Are Not Mutually Exclusive...

they can both be true at the same time.

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I used to think I had to choose — be a ‘starving artist’ or sacrifice creativity for financial security.

That’s the picture society often paints of success.

Pursue certain lucrative jobs, and you’ll achieve financial prosperity. But as for happiness? That depends on whether the role that’s "financially rewarding" is truly aligned with who you are.

And if you chase the “arts,” pursue jobs without the classic three-letter titles, or even become an entrepreneur… you’re likely struggle financially. But hey, at least you’ll be happy, right?

But why can’t both be true?

Why can’t we be both creatively fulfilled and financially prosperous?

For years, society has painted money as the enemy of creativity, as if pursuing financial prosperity taints the purity of our art… and I get it.

There’s an inherit responsibility to keep purity and integrity in our work.

There’s a longstanding belief that creativity and money are inherently at odds — that seeking financial success will inevitably dilute or compromise the authenticity of one’s art.

According to this narrative, true artistry is pure, unsullied by commercial concerns, and those who monetize their creativity risk “selling out.”

But in reality, creative fulfillment and financial abundance can elevate one another.

Why does creativity have to imply “artistic” in the traditional sense when it could mean any act of bridging our own intuition, genius and gifts, with a sustainable, scalable business model?

These questions lingered in my mind for years, frustrating me with the forced choice society seemed to present.

It was frustrating because I didn’t believe you had to sacrifice your soul to be financially savvy, nor should doing what you love mean struggling to make ends meet.

This frustration is rooted in limiting myths, like:

1. Creative work means forfeiting financial security or success

2. Creative work won’t scale without significant investment or resources

In fact, when I’ve said "no" to projects that aren’t aligned with my values, no matter the financial reward, better opportunities soon follow.

And when we manage our creativity like a business, we can experiment, keep growing in our craft, and use systems to repeat our results.

And when we productize our creativity, our work allows us to offer value to others while building cash flow.

Listen, I get it—the money questions can mess with us.

They’ve messed with me countless times.

Where will the money come from?

How will I pay my bills?

Will I get more clients and/or customers?

These questions are real and pressing, and I’ve taken on projects that ended up feeling like detours, setting me back 1-2 years at a time.

It’s the worst feeling. But it ultimately taught me three things:

1. You need to diversify meaningfully — choose projects that add value and also offer repeatable, productized options to generate consistent cash flow.

2. You need to have a process for everything — this allows you to replicate yourself and your results without sacrificing creative integrity.

3. You need to know the opportunity cost — every choice has an opportunity cost — the value you miss out on by choosing one option over another

As a reminder — we’re living in different times — You can be creative and financially successful at the same time

Previous generations faced different conditions — they didn’t have the digital advantages we do now…

the internet has changed everything — how we use our gifts (creativity), who we reach (influence), and how we earn a living (leverage).

I’ve been questioning the status quo since the beginning, and the internet has only accelerated that challenge.

So the question remains… can you be creatively fulfilled and financially prosperous at the same time?

Can you do work that feels fully aligned with your gifts and make a meaningful living from it?

The answer is yes…

I’ve been a writer privately for over 30 years and publicly for just the last 10.

Only in recent years did I start embracing the “writer” title, and it took time to even say it aloud with confidence.

I worried that if I called myself a “writer,” people would box me in as an “out-of-work artist” chasing a pipe dream and out of touch with reality. So I’d always lead with the fact that I had other businesses.

But here’s the truth: being a writer in the digital age is entirely different.

Writers today are among the highest earners online.

Copywriting, email marketing, social media, advertising, publishing, scripting, newsletters—the list goes on.

Writing fuels both personal dreams and bridges commerce and creativity.

We can embrace our “creative” titles and build thriving businesses around them. And so can you.

Know this — aligning creative fulfillment with financial prosperity requires a long-game mentality…

you will be challenged mentally, spiritually and financially because that’s simply part of human potential and growth — this path leads to freedom, and that freedom is worth every step.

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For my awesome, expanding paid subscribers… keep reading to learn:

• How to align creative autonomy and financial prosperity to elevate one another

• How to turn creativity into sustainable, diversified income

• + lots more

I appreciate everyone for all the incredible support.

Matthew