Passion Projects with Jeremy Wortsman

Jeremy Wortsman\u2019s core business is the pursuit of passion projects \u2013 both his own and helping others. He\u2019s the director of the Jacky Winter Group, a creative agency that showcases the work of more than 100 artists and has ties to a range of different creative outlets. \r\n\r\nJacky Winter is not just an agency. It\u2019s also responsible for the Jacky Winter Gardens accommodation in Belgrave, inner city gallery space Lamington Drive, and the 1000 Colours Jigsaw Puzzle \u2013 Wortsman is also a registered official with Ice Hockey Victoria, and a founding member and brand developer of start-up meditation studio The Contemplary.\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s all downtime for me,\u201d Wortsman says, of his extra-curricular activities. \u201cI have as much downtime as everyone else but what I choose to do with it might be different. The work outside of my day job is very engaging and gives me a sense of purpose.\u201d\r\n\r\nTake the Jacky Winter Gardens, which Wortsman runs with his partner, Lorelei Vashti. The pair conjured the idea for the guesthouse after moving to the Dandenong Ranges to start a family. The building also operates as a showroom for artists from the Jacky Winter stables.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe wanted to generate more income for our family as well as showcase our artists in different ways,\u201d he says. \u201cThe opportunity to make the Gardens emerged from there. We put all those ideas in a big pot, stirred long enough and that\u2019s what popped out.\u201d\r\n\r\nFollowing through on big ideas is a familiar theme with Wortsman. His impetus to work with The Contemplary was partly personal. After a back injury prevented him from playing his beloved ice hockey, he found time to meditate. Now he makes an hour for it every day.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe thing with side projects is as one thing fades, another takes its place,\u201d says Wortsman. \u201cI always had a meditation practice before the injury, but afterwards it naturally found a new position for me.\u201d\r\n\r\nFrom an outsider\u2019s point of view, Wortsman is a busy creative force. But he remains modest about his successes.\r\n\r\n\u201cA project is only a failure if you stop working on it,\u201d he says. \u201cAs with the core Jacky Winter business, we keep going back and perfecting new ideas for these different projects. If a project is going well, that just drives you to make it better.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe says pursuing outside interests helps him push to continue evolving both personally and professionally.\r\n\r\n\u201cA lot of the work I do in advertising isn\u2019t always the most progressive or socially responsible work,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s selfishly driven on a lot of levels. So I like to make sure I create a balance.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\nPart of this is challenging himself. \u201cIt\u2019s really nice to not feel complacent and also to realise you\u2019re not always good at something,\u201d he says. \u201cOne thing I love about ice hockey is that it\u2019s something that I\u2019ve never been really good at. And you actually get worse as you get older. It\u2019s healthy, because it helps to keep you in check. Especially if you\u2019re really competitive like me.\u201d\r\n\r\nUnsurprisingly, Wortsman finds it difficult to find time for all his varied interests.\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s easy to get ideas,\u201d he says. \u201cI get ideas all the time. But to actually realise them can be tough. Sometimes I get to the middle of a project and the actual maintenance is not as fun as dreaming it up. It can be hard to keep that energy consistent, but the longer I\u2019ve been doing this the more I have an understanding of if it will work.\u201d \r\n\r\nFor those yearning to pursue their own passion project on the side, Wortsman\u2019s advice is to simply start. \r\n\r\n\u201cJust do it. That\u2019s one of the biggest things,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s no reason you can\u2019t. Just be willing to follow through.\u201d\r\n\r\nThis article is presented in partnership with Hostplus, which has your super covered no matter your role and how it changes through your career.