Pursuing a creative or artistic career can certainly be fulfilling, but it’s far from certain. Over the years, we’ve heard about the struggles from thousands of artists and creatives – it’s incredibly challenging and it can be tempting to wonder – what if you hadn’t pursued this path. We asked artists and creatives from across the community if they’ve every had those doubts themselves.

Jessica Saul

Comedy is an artistic pursuit that makes you want to quit every single day, while at the same time making you dream the biggest dreams imaginable. It’s quite confusing for my brain to process, as one can imagine. But I confuse my brain a lot—like when I say I’m not going to eat dairy because it makes my stomach hurt, but then I eat an entire block of cheese. Like… are you allergic or not? Read More>>

Vincenzo Micciche Hinckley

This is such an important question and it comes up all the time. I think as creatives we can get caught up in the starving artist mind-set. We focus on all of the times when we are not working as opposed to the times when we are, even if they may be few and far between sometimes. In fact, having downtime between projects is actually more nourishing to the artistic soul. Read More>>

Christopher Forbes

I’ve never seriously entertained the idea of not being a creative artist, but at the same time I’ve consciously made the choice not to derive my primary income from either composition or from playing music. Teaching has afforded me the freedom to write and perform what I want, where I want without have to compromise stylistically. And in my job in particular I still do a lot of composition, mostly in children’s and student musical theater. Read More>>

Heather Rafferty-Phillips

Not because I’m unhappy as an artist, because I am happy. I’ve built a life doing what I love, and that’s not lost on me. But the world I started in isn’t the same one I create in now.

I came up in a film-to-digital transition, before presets and content days and styled shoots were the norm. Before “lifestyle” was a genre (it was just how I naturally photographed my daughter, my first muse, who didn’t fit into the traditional portrait mold). Back then, it wasn’t trendy. It was just me following what felt honest. Read More>>

Pratik Satrawala

I have been a DJ since 2011, and then a producer since 2022. I have always struggled with managing my 2 life; one being a regular guy with professional job and career, then trying to get myself into the industry as a DJ. I used to go to college in the morning and by the evening I was playing clubs and events. Even today I am living the same life with 2 roles; a regular 9-5 job in Pharma in Philadelphia, USA and produce music in the evening when I get home and try to promote myself everywhere. Read More>>

Olayinka Temilade

“As a creative, I’ve always found joy in bringing ideas to life. While it’s not always easy, the freedom to express myself and connect with others through my art is incredibly fulfilling. Sure, there are days when uncertainty creeps in, but the thrill of creating something new and seeing how it resonates with others makes it all worth it. Read More>>

Roei Zoar

There are moments when I wonder what life would be like with a regular job—stable hours, steady pay, less pressure. One night, after hours in the studio struggling with a track, exhausted and frustrated, I genuinely asked myself if I’d be happier doing something else. Read More>>