The Secret Weapon of “Strategic Apathy”

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Something interesting took place in a Facebook chat last night with a friend of mine who is an accountant at a big tech firm in New York City. In other words, he's a non-Creative.

During a discussion about US politics, he said to me, "You are an artist, though. Everyone knows that artists are highly uneducated about national politics, and if you say you are, then it's only from the perspective of your left-leaning media bias."

As an artist, am I uneducated? Ill-informed? Ehh… I wouldn't say that. I know what's going on. I know what's up. I pay attention, I listen, I watch—and probably more than a lot of people do, artistic or not. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I am "uneducated" about issues. However, I will say that I do tend to be fairly detached from such goings-on.

Put more simply:

I don't really give a shit.

Less colloquially expressed, I'm strategically apathetic.

Whoever my President is has no impact on the fact that I need to get out of bed and write three minutes of ass-kicking music today.

Strategic Apathy Liberates You to Freely Create

I'm strategically apathetic about a lot of things, actually. There are many things in life that have zero bearing on what's important to me, mine, and my business endeavors. It's actually liberating to "not care". And you really don't need to; as Creatives, you and I are somewhat shielded from the limitations and restraints often imposed on business-owners who would normally operate under civilian rules. Take "demand", for example: People don't always need or want new cars, but they always want to discover fresh new music to listen to. Escapism—which, like it or not, is the Creative's stock-in-trade—is always in vogue. It never goes out of style because people will always have the desire to escape the realities of what they might consider a less than ideal life. Alternatively, folks just like to be entertained, if only to give their minds a respite for a minute or two. Therefore, I don't care about, or give much thought to, demand. I know that entertainment will always be in demand, so that is one variable that most business owners have to fret about that I never will. It's not that I'm unaware of what people want. Of course I am. I read the trades. I keep abreast of which films are hits and which are misses. But as for the sky-is-falling approach to the industry that some people dwell in, I stay "strategically apathetic" to all that and just focus on what I'm creating now.

I also never think about "preference". A woman's preference of make-up is a big deal to make-up manufacturers. (Shit, there's even a line dedicated solely to the name—"Preference, by Loreal".) But in our line of work as Creatives, preference isn't really much of a concern. We are wholly unable to "clone" another artist without it coming off as a cheap imitation, so as a general rule we work hard to avoid doing so. In my case, I've tried to develop my voice, look, style, concepts, appeal, and whatever else to set myself apart from the rest of the pack. In turn, my customers look or listen for my style when they need it specifically. Once their preference for what they think only I can give them is etched on the heart of their project, they'll seek me out to provide it for them. Hence, I never worry about preference. It's just not worth my time to care about it. It's not that I'm unaware, ill-informed, or uneducated about what sells, but rather that I'm "strategically apathetic" about what everyone else is selling other than me. I don't want to sell what they are selling, I want to sell what I am selling. So I focus on that instead of chasing my tail trying to be something I'm not.

My "Apathy List"

As an entrepreneur, if you want to build a thriving business that forges ahead, breaks new ground, and pushes the boundaries, it pays to be "strategically apathetic" about a few things. It may sound crazy, but I keep a running list of things I couldn't care less about. Failure is on that list. To avoid succumbing to what kills most stand-alone business ventures, I absolutely cannot give a shit about whether I fail or not—I just have to go for it and plan to be successful. Another thing on my list is comparisons. I don't give a damn about those, either, and neither should you. Just face it: You aren't anybody but you. As far as I'm concerned, that's a huge plus. If I was someone else, I'd be a cheap imitation. Due to typecasting, you see that with actors all the time; one B or C-list cat is the poor-man's version of some A-list cat. Sad. Don't do it. Dont give in. Stay apathetic to the plight of them wanting someone else's sound, look, style, or flair. You won't measure up, no matter how hard you try. If they want that person, tell them they should pony up the dough and go hire them. Otherwise, you'll do amazing work that will make them forget all about that bozo.

And then... DO THAT WORK.

What's on your "apathy list"? This is a conversation we are having… a two-way street. I’d like to hear your ideas on how this folds into your creative process. Please leave a comment under any post. Names are optional, but I’m interested in real and meaningful discussions, so consider leaving your name if that’s also interesting to you. Thanks for stopping by!

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