"The Least They Could Do Is..."

Hi, y'all! This post is the result of another sticky thought in my head. The thought won't pass until I write it down. Soak this up.


As an artist and simply a person, I believe that one must put forth effort toward that which they aspire to be or to gain. That being said, I think that expecting everything (or anything) to be freely provided for you is a set-up for sure failure. Some people seem to mistake sacrifice and effort for lack of dignity.

There have been numerous times that I've taken on projects and various tasks and I frequently get asked a question that really bothers me: "Are they going to pay you for this?" It's not so much the question itself that's the annoyance. It's more of the tone in which the question is asked or the underlying reason for asking. I've experienced this so many times before that I can confidently speak on it for what I believe it is. It's never in the innocent, curious manner. When someone asks me that question, they're usually passing judgment on my choice to carry on with the project or task despite not being paid (if my answer is no, which it usually is) for it. If I say yes, the person visibly seems relieved as though they're personally affected by this. If I say no, the person is usually taken aback (sometimes very dramatically) and then they go on and on; eventually speaking these very words, "The least they could do is...". Then they proceed to tell me how they (the people for whom I'm performing the task/with whom I'm working on the project) should compensate me for all the trouble I'm going through for the cause.

Here's what I have to say about this. I take on projects that I want to be a part of. I do things for people that I want to do for them. No one is forcing me to do these things. Also, I'm willing to make sacrifices to do the things I want to do. That's part of the effort. If I quit or refused every opportunity that didn't pay, I wouldn't get very far. Lots of doors would shut very quickly. Humility is a major part of this. If you think you're too good to sacrifice anything or to make any type of effort, then you're bound to fail in life. For example, if I land a gig, I'm not expecting anyone to compensate me for the distance that I have to travel to get there. That's my responsibility. It's up to me to decide if it's worth it to me to catch several buses every other day to be there. Do you know why? I'll tell you. It's up to me because 1) since I'm the one who auditioned/signed up, I'm obviously aware of which arrangements must be made for me to do it. 2) This is the life of an artist. I can't speak for everyone, but most of us don't wait for things to fall into our laps and expect it to be easy. This is a rough ride. Most of us go out and chase what we want. In my case, that may mean taking several buses a day, missing a meal or two, being sweaty, working extra hours, skipping a night out with friends to prepare for an audition (or to rest because you're just too burned out from doing a million things that day). Maybe you'd never tolerate those things, but my personal goals are worth all of that to me. For another example, If I decide to spend a day helping you paint your house, I'm doing it out of the kindness of my heart. I'm doing it because I feel like giving. I'm not looking for personal gain.

I want those who ask the question (from earlier) to understand that not everyone does things with the intention of being paid or praised. Life is not a board game. I just went so now it's your turn. I do the things I do because I want to do them and it's no one's place except mine to decide whether or not it's worth it. So what does it matter to you whether I'm getting paid or not? While I may not be getting paid money, I'm DEFINITELY gaining experience, building my network, seeing new things, and getting closer every step of the way to my goals. That's my "pay". To me, that's of a much higher value than money.

-Indigo

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