The Gen-X Creative Struggle is Real
TL;DR
The creative industry will keep shifting. The rules will keep changing. But what hasn’t changed is that there are ways to navigate this moment with intention and clarity.
Every once in a while, an article comes along that perfectly captures something I’ve been witnessing in coaching rooms for years.
This New York Times piece on the struggles of Gen-X creatives does just that.
If you’re one of those creatives, you might read it and feel an immediate, visceral "YES."
As a fellow Gen X’er, I completely get it.
I’ve spent the last two decades coaching artists, actors, writers, and all kinds of multi-hyphenates who are doing everything they can to build careers on their own terms. And one thing I know for sure? The creative path is not linear, and Gen-Xers, in particular, have been navigating a landscape that keeps shifting under our feet.
We were told to be adaptable. To learn new skills. To embrace being multi-hyphenates. And yet—what they don’t tell you is that being multi-hyphenate doesn’t mean doing everything at once. It means making intentional choices about where to put your focus at any given time so you don’t burn out.
So if you’re feeling the struggle highlighted in this article—if you’re pulled in a million directions, wondering how to keep all the plates spinning to literally pay the bills and keep your career going—here are a few coaching tips:
1. Define Your Creative Priorities
Not all your projects or skills need equal attention right now. What’s the priority thisseason? What will get the most energy, and what will be maintained but not pushed forward full throttle? Naming this brings clarity and momentum.
2. Create a Rotating Focus
You don’t have to abandon the things you love, but you do need a system. Maybe your acting career is front and center for six months, while writing stays in the background. Then, you shift. This keeps all your creative identities alive without feeling like you’re drowning.
3. Give Yourself Permission to Let Go
Not everything deserves your energy anymore. Are you holding onto projects or roles that no longer serve you? It’s okay to release them. You’re allowed to evolve.
4. Reclaim Your Agency
The industry changes. The algorithms change. The trends change. But your 1%—what you can control—stays the same. Focus on showing up, building relationships, and doing the work that truly matters to you.
5. Find (or Rebuild) Your Creative Community
Too many Gen-X creatives are trying to do this alone. Find your people. The ones who remind you why you started in the first place. The ones who hold you accountable when the industry makes you feel invisible.
Bottom line, you are not alone in this.
This article hit me because I see how hard Gen-X creatives are working, often without the recognition (or financial security) they deserve.
But what I also see?
A generation that’s resilient, resourceful, and still creating incredible work.
Whatever is next for you, all of us at Capes Coaching believe in you and are here to help you get clear and figure it out.