Exploitation vs. Exploration: A Framework for Creators
maximizing what you know works + taking risks to discover what could work better
I was sitting across from a client at the local coffee shop, trying to play it cool after burning my tongue on a too-big gulp of coffee. She was sharing a mixed bag of emotions about being a creator with a business. She’d lived through the “hashtags matter” phase, the “point and dance” phase, and now? She was exhausted.
She didn’t start posting on social media to become an influencer. It was a way to support her business, which—if you ask me—does a lot of good: sustainable movement and mindfulness. But sitting across from her, I saw myself. We create because it helps us, and sometimes we’re lucky enough to help others too. Whether it’s teaching yoga, writing stories, or capturing images, the heart of creating is the same.
Eventually, though, we all face the same question:
Do we keep doing what we’ve been doing, or do we try something new?
I wouldn’t have ended up in that coffee shop if my usual answer hadn’t been “try something new.” My career has been a patchwork quilt—writing, photography, video, design, social media, even events. But I’ve realized dabbling only gets you so far. Real growth requires depth, which means pausing to focus. Shallow accomplishments feel good in the moment, but deepening expertise? That’s where the magic (and discomfort) happens.
My client echoed the same feeling: doing more of the same wasn’t working anymore. Her livelihood depends on reaching her audience, and the disillusionment was hard to ignore. As we talked, I couldn’t help but reflect:
Should every week be another essay on creativity? Should I keep photographing textures? Where is this going?
Pushing my laptop aside, tongue still tingling, we landed on a shared truth:
We don’t have to abandon what’s working, but we do need space to try new things.
This brought us to the idea of exploitation versus exploration.
It’s not a new concept—the exploitation-exploration dilemma comes from decision theory. Simply put:
Exploitation means maximizing what you know works.
Exploration is taking risks to discover what could work better.
For creators, it’s a useful framework. On a photoshoot, exploitation is nailing “the shot,” while exploration is saving time for the wacky, out-of-the-box ideas that might fail. In writing, it’s dedicating time to your core work while experimenting with fresh forms or stories.
For me, January has been a time to reflect on this balance.
What I’ll “exploit” is my photography—investing time in shooting, editing, and chasing big goals like grants and artist residencies. I’ll keep writing weekly, but what I’m ready to explore is turning my words into video and finally pursuing fiction—a dream I’ve put off for far too long.
The beauty of this framework is its flexibility. It lets you ask:
“What am I deepening this year? What’s one thing I’m ready to explore?”
In the end, it’s about balancing stability and growth.
I crave stability. I want to feel safe. But holding space for new ideas has let my career evolve in spectacular ways. It’s why I sat across from an inspiring client on a Monday morning. And now, I’m finally applying this approach to my work as an artist and writer.
It’s exciting.
Personal Work
Currently Reading
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life
George Saunders
I told myself this year I was going to tackle my TBR, and I wanted to start with something linked to my writing goals. So far, I am loving A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders. It’s a careful and thoughtful review of short stories by Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Gogol, paired with seven essays that explore not just the mechanics of storytelling but the emotional resonance and art of great writing. Saunders has a way of making the analysis feel both accessible and profound, and it’s inspiring me to think about my own writing in new ways. If you’re a writer or just a lover of literature, I can’t recommend it enough.
Hey, you made it to the end! I have a little secret for you.
This month, I’ve been tackling something new: editing video from our Oahu trip earlier in the month. I’m using the footage as a backdrop to a voiceover inspired by my essay The Quiet Season.
Now, I edit plenty of short-form videos for clients and have even done longer projects for YouTube, but this one feels different—it’s for me. I’m still battling the whole “hating my voice” thing and my strong preference to hide behind the camera instead of being in front of it.
Here’s the truth: likely no one will see this video once it’s published, and that’s okay. Much like I got into the habit of writing, I want to build the habit of editing video. Over the past few months, I’ve been naturally collecting footage, but I rarely give myself permission to sit down and actually work with it.
So, this is my little experiment—a way to make video editing a regular part of my creative flow. It’s been a bit of a struggle bus as I figure it all out, but hey, that’s part of the process, right?
An important distinction!