Know Your Place
It shouldn't be the same as being put into a box.
It is a strong title and one that may invoke some feelings of harshness behind it. However, it is probably a statement that many of us have come in contact with throughout our lifetimes. Knowing your place might seem like someone is trying to press their thumb over your life, and keep you in a pre-determined box. However, knowing your place can also help you elevate as well.
Knowing where you fit in with your likes and dislikes, your passions and dreams, can help you connect with the right people who will help you grow. There should never be fear in understanding, rather, there should be exhilaration and drive to start leveling up. What you should be wary of, however, is anyone who tries to tell you what your place is.
I firmly hold to the idea that you should be the bearer of your destiny, and that no one will ever understand your inner thoughts, workings, and dialogue, quite as well as you can. With that being said, if there is anyone who is placing you into a set of ideas or creative standards, you should take anything they say with a grain of salt. Not everyone’s advice, or input, is wrong, but it should be noted that they still do not reside within your mind or spirit.
For instance, I have seen different creators who feel that you should focus on only being in one specific genre for your creations. While that may be great for them, and work fine for them, their adoration of that ideology should not perpetuate the path that you choose. Other creators may find much more pleasure in spanning across genres and breaking molds. There is no predesigned, specified way to be creative. Rather, it is up to each of us to discover a path that brings our visions to fruition.
So, how do we level up once we know what our place is? Start connecting with other creators who are like-minded. Always leave yourself open for new experiences, but establishing a core of people that you look up to, or can ask questions of, makes all the difference in your own career advancement. No matter how far into your creative career you are, there are always new things to learn, and always more people to talk to.
My urge would be for you to not put yourself into a box, but rather to understand where your place is in all this chaos of life. A firm foundation will help you grow, rather than flounder. Find others who can help to lift you up, and keep at arm's length those who either view you as a threat or as a stepping stone.