Diversify or Die

For most of my life, I’ve identified as a creative. More specifically, I’ve been a photographer and a writer. Those labels have shaped how I see myself and how other people see me. They’ve opened doors, sparked conversations, and given me a sense of purpose. But they’ve also come with a quiet, persistent lie: that choosing one creative path and sticking to it is the only way to be authentic.

The longer I’ve worked in creative industries, the more I’ve realised how dangerous that lie is.

Because the truth is simple and uncomfortable: if you don’t diversify, you don’t survive. You burn out, you get stuck, or you disappear. In today’s world, especially as a creative, it’s diversify or die.

The Myth of the “One Thing”

Creative culture loves the myth of the singular calling. The photographer who only shoots, the writer who only writes, the artist who lives and dies by their art. We romanticise struggle and mistake instability for integrity. If you branch out, if you apply your skills somewhere unexpected, it can feel like you’re “selling out” or losing focus.

I bought into that thinking for years.

Photography and writing were my worlds. I invested time, money, and identity into them. I learned how to tell stories visually and with words. I learned how to read people, how to listen, how to notice details others miss. I learned discipline, self-promotion, client management, and how to survive without a guaranteed paycheck.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that I wasn’t just becoming a photographer or a writer. I was building a toolkit.

Creative Skills Are Transferable (Even If No One Tells You That)

One of the biggest mistakes creatives make is underestimating the value of their own skills. We tend to see them as niche or fragile, useful only within our chosen field. But creativity is rarely about the medium. It’s about problem-solving, communication, perception, and trust.

As a photographer, I learned how to frame a story, make people feel comfortable, and present something in its best possible light. I learned branding, marketing, and how to sell an idea visually. As a writer, I learned how to persuade, explain, simplify complexity, and connect emotionally with an audience.

These aren’t “art-only” skills. They’re human skills. And they travel well.

That realisation has been transformational for me, especially as I step into the property market and begin working as an associate estate agent with Remax.

From Creative Work to Property: The Through Line

On paper, photography, writing, and property might look unrelated. In reality, the overlap is enormous.

Property is about storytelling. Every home has a narrative, a feeling, a lifestyle it promises. Good photography makes people stop scrolling. Good writing makes them imagine living there. Understanding light, composition, and emotion is a massive advantage in an industry where presentation matters.

It’s also about people. Listening to what they want, reading between the lines, managing expectations, and building trust. Creative work trains you for that in ways traditional business paths often don’t. When you’ve spent years convincing someone to step in front of a camera or believe in your words, negotiating a property deal feels surprisingly familiar.

Becoming an associate estate agent isn’t a rejection of my creative identity. It’s an extension of it. I’m applying the same skills in a new environment, one that offers more stability, scalability, and long-term opportunity.

Why Diversification Isn’t Failure

There’s a strange guilt that creeps in when creatives diversify. As if expanding your skill set means admitting defeat. As if you didn’t “make it” hard enough in your original lane.

I’ve come to see diversification as the opposite: it’s an act of self-respect.

Relying on a single income stream in an unpredictable economy is risky for anyone, but it’s especially dangerous for creatives. Algorithms change. Markets dry up. Trends move on. Passion alone doesn’t pay rent, and resilience isn’t infinite.

Diversification doesn’t mean abandoning what you love. It means giving yourself room to breathe so that love doesn’t turn into resentment.

When your survival isn’t tied to one fragile source of income, you create from a place of choice rather than desperation. That’s when the work actually gets better.

The Reality: Diversify or Die

This might sound dramatic, but I genuinely believe it. The creatives who last are the ones who adapt. The ones who say yes to evolution. The ones who recognise that identity is not a cage.

Diversification can look like multiple income streams, multiple industries, or multiple roles. It can mean teaching, consulting, investing, or stepping into a completely new field while bringing your creative brain with you.

What it can’t be is passive.

Waiting for things to “go back to normal” is a losing strategy. There is no normal. There is only change, and your willingness to respond to it.

Redefining Success as a Creative

For me, success now looks different than it did ten years ago. It’s not just about awards, publications, or creative validation. It’s about sustainability. It’s about building a life where my skills support me instead of draining me.

Photography and writing will always be part of who I am. They’ve shaped how I think and how I see the world. But they no longer have to carry the full weight of my financial survival.

By stepping into the property market with Remax, I’m not leaving creativity behind. I’m anchoring it. I’m giving it a foundation that allows it to grow without fear.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a creative person feeling stuck, exhausted, or anxious about the future, I want you to hear this clearly: you are not limited to one path. Your skills are bigger than you think. Your experience has value in places you may never have considered.

Diversification isn’t giving up. It’s growing up.

In a world that constantly shifts under our feet, the only real strategy is adaptability. Learn, pivot, apply your skills widely, and refuse to be boxed in by outdated ideas of what a creative “should” be.

Because at the end of the day, it really is that simple.

Diversify or die.