Artists, Scientists, and Business?
I was recently visited by an old friend who works as a scientist out at CalTech in Pasadena. Wine was shared, university stories swapped, all those brilliant and brewing ideas discussed, and once again, as tends to happen in these types of conversations, we came back to the nature of doing business. And while art and science may be very different in the classroom, one can’t help but notice that there is a similar struggle that happens when one tries to bring their ideas into the business world.
There seems to be this unfortunate correlation between one’s passions and their business savvy. And I suppose it makes sense. The more obsessed one allows themselves to be in any endeavor, aside from that of making money, the less attention and energy one has for business. Now some people are fortunate enough to be passionate about making money. And a lot of people are just smart enough to keep their business about business and their passions elsewhere. But for many, there is this struggle.
Arts and sciences in particular tend to attract people who are driven for reasons other than money. Artists and scientists are not exactly known for their polished corporate qualities. And yet these are career paths that seem to require more defending than most. These are the ones that require you to submit individual projects for grant money, or maybe even fund-raise independently to support the work you are doing. The other route one can go, is to latch onto someone else’s project. And if you are lucky enough to get on with a good one, something you care about, that pays your bills, a good work environment, then that is lucky indeed. But unless that job is with a strong corporate entity or university, chances are another search for another good fit is just around the bend.
Now you might say that anyone is lucky to have a good job in any field these days, and there is truth to that for sure. But I think that artists and scientists have the added kick of knowing that their best chances for really being recognized, for really getting their ideas out there, for being true greats in their field, is to take that leap into uncertainty; to keep practicing their craft, insisting on environments that push them to create, and doing their projects even when no one is paying for it; in essence, to allow themselves to become obsessed.
Now I wish that I had a list of perfect answers for these all too common problems. And maybe someday I will. I have met, in my time, a few very successful artists in this effect with brilliant work. And there are as well, very successful brilliant scientists. So it is possible. The people I notice walking this line the best seem to be of a generally good temperament. One can’t help but wonder if that’s a quality that has led them well into success, or if it is a result of finding that balance and being happy in the work that they do.
Whatever the case, I think it is worth recognizing that these struggles aren’t jurisdicted to just one field or the other. In fact, I’m sure these are problems that speak to more than just the artists and the scientists. So maybe there is comfort in even just that.