Comparing a winding freelance path to a friend's straight-line career is one of the most common, and quietly damaging, habits in the creative industry. If you have ever felt that your varied interests are holding you back, this conversation will make you think again.

This question was answered by Emma Keen, a mental health expert who specialises in working with multi-passionate people and uses the latest research to help creatives reframe how they measure growth; Wez Hawes, an industry leader with nearly 30 years of creative experience who speaks candidly about his own therapy journey and LinkedIn anxiety; and Andy Wright, host of Asking For A Friend on Never Not Creative, who guided the conversation.

Your varied interests are not a weakness

Emma is clear on this: depth does not require narrowness. Drawing on growing research around ADHD and multi-passionate natures, she points out that the richest insights often come from the places where different interests overlap. Rather than seeing variety as a distraction, she frames it as a genuine competitive advantage, one that the creative industry is increasingly recognising. She even cites Roger Federer as someone who took a winding path before finding where he excelled.

Define what progress actually means to you

One of Emma's most practical points is the importance of setting your own markers for growth. External signals of success, promotions, awards, a tidy career narrative, were never designed with multi-passionate people in mind. Giving yourself permission to define what meaningful progress looks like for you is not a compromise; it is a more honest way of working.

LinkedIn anxiety is real, and you are not alone

Wez does not shy away from admitting this hits close to home. After nearly 30 years in the industry and multiple therapy sessions to work through career comparison, his rule is straightforward: as long as he is learning something new, he lets everything else go. Since launching his own business, he has reframed unfamiliar challenges around finance, admin, and client relationships as progress in themselves.

Imposter syndrome is a sign you are competent

Emma reframes imposter syndrome not as evidence of inadequacy but as a marker of genuine capability. People who lack competence rarely question themselves. For anyone wanting to go deeper, she recommends the book Where the Light Gets In by Ben Crowe.

The most useful takeaway from this session is a simple one: comparison is the thief of joy, but only if you let someone else set the standard.