It's hard for some people to believe, but you don't have to choose between your day job and your dream job. The two can complement each other in ways you never imagined possible.
When you think of a cartoonist, you probably don't think of somebody with a Masters degree in criminal justice administration. A creative life of making satirical art doesn't jive with running a police department. On the surface, these two occupations seem at odds with one another.
But that's just what this week's guest on The Portfolio Life did for over 25 years. John Weiss is a former police chief who pursued his passions of cartooning, painting and writing while working in law enforcement.
Now that John is retired, he is a full-time artist painting landscapes, drawing cartoons, and writing a weekly art column.
Listen in as John and I talk about how he navigated the tension between creative expression and police work by letting his day job and dream job inspire each other.
Listen to the podcast
To listen to the show, click the player below (If you’re reading this via email, please click here).
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Show highlights
In this episode, John and I discuss:
- Drawing political cartoons in college
- If he regrets getting a “real” job
- How a day job compliments artistry
- Confronting stereotypes of artists and law enforcement officers
- How a creative background made him better at police work
- A funny story about getting pulled over
- Pivoting to different art forms to accommodate career growth
- When he stopped apologizing for being an artist
Takeaways
- A day job compliments your artistry.
- Creativity and artfulness are necessary skills.
- Life gives you inspiration for writing.
- Going viral isn't all it's cracked up to be.
[share-quote via=”JeffGoins”]Stand out by creating great work.
Resources
- 7 Ways Police Work Made Me a Better Writer – John's guest post on Goins, Writer.
- John Weiss's blog
- Want Your Children to Survive The Future? Send Them to Art School
- Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt
- Memories are Roses in Our Winter
- Podcast sponsor: Tribe Theme by Notable Themes
Click here to download a free PDF of the complete interview transcript.
How can your creative passion inform your day job? Have you ever considered your day job as a source of inspiration? Share in the comments.
