In my creative journey thus far, I have discovered that there are two types of creatives: the hawks and the hummingbirds.

Could there be more? Certainly. Is it possible to be both a hawk and a hummingbird at different points in our lives? Of course. (And in some cases, even at the same time!)

So now you may be wondering—well, what’s the difference?

Types of Creatives: The “Hawk”

A hawk is completely focused on one creative endeavor and diving deeper and deeper into that endeavor. It has no interest in exploring other creative paths. It is committed to continued excellence every single day with its chosen creative outlet.

Think of any master of craft. From Hans Zimmer to Helen Mirren to Shonda Rhimes*, if you look at their careers, they didn’t really dabble in other mediums. They stayed the course in their chosen medium—music, acting and TV writing, respectively. The world needs hawks because hawks are absolute experts at what they do and have mastered their craft so much that there’s room to be free in it without technical limitations. Being a hawk takes incredible talent, discipline, and drive to the point of obsession. While that may sound uncomfortable for some, for a hawk, it is just part of who they are. They’re made for focus and depth in one creative outlet.

If you want to read more about enjoying life as a hawk, check out this post.

*Also, now that Shonda Rhimes is also the CEO of global media company, Shondaland, I would say she may be a bit of a hummingbird, too. But given that she is such a master of television writing, there’s a lot of hawk in her approach to creativity. (She’s the first woman to write three television series that have reached the 100-episode milestone: ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Scandal,’ and ‘How to Get Away With Murder.’ Incredible.)

Types of Creatives: The “Hummingbird”

But not all of us are natural born hawks—and that’s okay! Some of us were made to flit and float from creative outlet to creative outlet like a hummingbird. We sip from the nectar for a time until we see another creative flower that sparks our interest.

At first glance, this could look a lot like ADHD, but I believe it’s just a different approach to creativity. And hummingbirds are needed just as much as hawks are. With diverse experiences across mediums, they’re able to draw unique connections and breathe new life into established ways of doing things.

Looking for an example of a hummingbird? Oprah is a wonderful person to study. From news reporter to talk show host to media mogul to Oscar-nominated actor to philanthropist—this woman abounds with passionate hummingbird energy. And just because you’re a hummingbird doesn’t mean you’re not masterful. To be nominated for an Oscar as an actor, twice? Yeah, that takes greatness, and greatness comes from discipline and hard work.

Other creative hummingbird examples could include: Questlove (musician, producer, filmmaker, journalist, writer, actor, professor), Donald Glover (actor, rapper, singer, writer, comedian, director, and producer), Johnny Depp (in addition to acting, he has a band with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry called The Hollywood Vampires), and Lady Gaga (singer, songwriter, and actress).

If you want to learn about embracing the hummingbird life, check out this post.

Now here comes the question: can we be a little bit of both?

I’ve found that at different points in my life, my approach to creativity shifted from hawk to hummingbird.

My first big creative adventure was pursuing a music career starting at age 14. I was obsessed with making my voice as strong as it could be and with learning as much as I could about songwriting—taking piano lessons, guitar lessons, and even collaborating with producers I connected with over AOL Instant Message (AIM).

I spent a nearly decade as a hawk when it came to music, and it wasn’t until I was almost 24 that journalism sparked my interest. Six years into New York living, I was scouring Craigslist for work and discovered a post searching for an on-camera reporter to cover Fashion Week at Bryant Park.

I knew nothing about fashion or interviewing people on-camera but could think on my feet thanks to performing live. I let the producer know this in my application and he replies, “Great. Can you get here in two hours?”

Long story short, following that little spark of curiosity opened up a whole new career path for me and helped me discover a passion for interviewing people and sharing their stories that I didn’t even know I had!

From then on, I became a hummingbird—balancing music making with other forms of journalistic content creation.

But there have been other periods where I’ve reverted back to being a hawk. When I enrolled in Playhouse West Philly a few years ago, it required a tremendous amount of commitment. All of my other creative pursuits were put on pause while I dedicated all of my free time to acting.

At the end of the day, we need to make time to listen to our inner voice. It will guide us on our unique, divinely created paths.

Some of us will be all hawk. Some of us will be all hummingbird. And some of us will experience both approaches to creativity at different points of our lives or even at the same time. However, all types of creatives are valid, no matter where you fall on the spectrum.

So which type of creative are you? All hawk? All hummingbird? A little mix of both?  I’d love to hear about your creative journey and approach to creativity in the comments below.