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.

Logan Lavo

I am very happy that music is my full time career now and that I don’t have a “regular job”. We all had them and slowly worked towards being able to take less and less hours as we were making more from music. Of course, being an independent artist comes with many struggles and frustrations but the band and I work through them together and have been around long enough to know how to deal with certain problems that persist. I think the biggest thing for us is stress. Read more>>

Zaleski N/A

Although I am pretty young, I know that I am so much happier pursing my career as an artist! It doesn’t make sense in a lot of ways, and that only makes me love it more as my reality. Most of my peers are starting to secure careers and more “traditional” aspects of 20-somethings’ lives, so the comparison between perceived success is starkly present. But I have to remind myself that this is simply a comparison based on a perception; an inaccurate or insufficient definition of what success is or can be. Read more>>

Allayna Marie

I’m definitely happier as a creative. The freedom. The joy. The outlet to creatively express myself without limits is an amazing feeling. It fuels me and keeps me grounded. However, being a full time creative doesn’t cover all the bills at times. It’s very up and down. You truly have to trust the process to fully lock in. I’ve also looked at other ways I can still be creative and bring in another stream of income. You can now add “author” to the list of my accomplishments. My first book will be released on 10/10. Read more>>

Dannie Niu

Yes, of course. People change their minds all the time, and I do too. When I was in high school I would think I might have a stable job, a stable income, stable insurance, and then have a stable life in the future. But as I began to formally start my professional career, I began to realize that I might not be quite right for having a stable job. My parents were both college professors, and for them, they have very flexible schedules, so as far as I can remember I never felt too overwhelmed by clocking in and out. Read more>>

Donna Garcia

I am, technically, an artists and a creative, because the reality is that most artists need to have more than one job. I was a Creative / Marketing Director for Ogilvy, NYC for many years and now I work for an arts non-profit in Atlanta. Art, for me ,is not really about a job, it is about connecting to self. As an artist who does a great deal of self-portraiture, photography is a conduit between my self and the world outside. Read more>>

Jennifer Badger

In a few months I will reach my 30th year as a professional Stunt Coordinator, Stunt Performer, and Actress with our union, SAG-AFTRA. Though the road getting here had its up and downs, and I’m continually grateful to the Lord for the opportunities that He has provided, I have struggled in recent years with the changes our industry has been undergoing, and how that affects our profession. Read more>>

HerDrug

As we all know, there’s ups and downs to any and everything. It’s ultimately up to you to stay strong and loyal to yourself and your decisions. I feel like an Artist is what I’ve always been, and everyone ain’t happy everyday. A regular job doesn’t cross my mind much. Now in the past, I’ve applied for jobs and never got any without the exception of Sprint, but they never followed up with me and ghosted me, lol. After my trials with all of that regular stuff didn’t work out, I took it as a sign from the Universe as that wasn’t my purpose at all. Read more>>

Jared Tseng

I think this is a question a lot of creatives think about – is it worth it to continue in my work? I know that the thought crosses my mind on a semi-regular basis and in different seasons. I was actually thinking about this this past week, even going so far as to look at jobs on LinkedIn. On the one hand, being a creative means that you have a lot of freedom to pursue your passions and interests with a flexible schedule. On the other hand, it can also mean going for weeks (or months) without work, odd hours, and uncertainty with finances. Read more>>

Christian Beijer

I was never suited for a so called normal occupation. Already as a teenager I saw through the system, and didn´t want to participate at all. Just because I go crazy if I don´t feel freedom and not having the chance of being creative. I have tried DJing, photography, I was a clothes designer for almost 10 years and the I found my way back to painting which was my favourite thing as a kid. So it´s been my profession for more than 30 years now. Read more>>

Mimi (FeedMi)

I do find a lot of joy in being able to express my creativity. Photos and videos to me are like little time capsules. It’s cool that you can capture a moment in time and be able to look back on it years after. I have been taking photos since I was in junior high. I just stored them in my laptop and didn’t really do much with it until 2018, I decided to start sharing with others on Instagram. Read more>>

Ryan Woldt

I looked at job listings this morning. Not because I was seriously looking, but just to get a take on what is available in the world. I was pretty good at my “regular” jobs. I spent a lot of time in various levels of management and consulting, as well as more creative positions in marketing and design. I still keep a few regular side hustles going because I struggle to find a work/life balance. Read more>>

Alron Phillips

I am much happier as a creative and an artist. There’s nothing in this world I would rather do and be. As far as thinking about working a regular job, I do work a regular job still and it serves as a distraction, but a necessity since I’m still working on getting financing for my projects. My day job pays bills and at times pays for my film and music projects and I appreciate it, but I want to move into writing and producing music and films full time. Anytime I think about working a regular job, my stomach turns because there’s no happiness there. Read more>>

Nevi Senoj

Never, because I have healed myself enough to know that I don’t belong within the compounds of a corporation and the walls that will stop me from living a healthy spiritually elevated lifestyle. Read more>>

Nika Urban

Yes, definitely! I spend a good amount of time wondering what my life would be like if it weren’t for tattooing. I am grateful for it each day. While art has always been first throughout my life, I do sometimes miss learning and studying in an academic environment- but I try to fulfill that part of my brain on my own time now. Regardless, life seemed to keep me in the creative realm even if I didn’t realize it, so I am glad for that. Read more>>

Clint Atkinson

Happy? Yes, definitely happy. I’m fortunate to be in my studio seven days a week, usually from before dawn until mid -afternoon. Creating is fulfilling and gives deep meaning to my life, happiness on a deep level. Each day I go straight into the studio, not eating breakfast or making a cup of coffee until I’m there. My wife, Patricia is also an artist so we have studios in a shared building. Read more>>

Olivia Jimenez

In the beginning of 2019 I found myself going through a period of creative burnout working full-time as an artist/creative. Piecing together gigs as a theater-maker, teaching artist, and movement instructor was exhausting physically, mentally, and emotionally. I was surviving, but barely. Survival wasn’t enough anymore, I wanted to thrive!

LEJUANE BOWENS

I am extremely happy as an artist and creative. I’ve had a day job before which was secure, but it kept me stagnant from wanting to create and take part in projects that I was a part of or wanted to manifest. The last “day job” I had would not let me take off an hour of time out of my week to facilitate a creative writing class for youth as they were creating their own plays. The same job also did not want me to bring this type of program into our organization because they felt youth would say it’s stupid. Little did they know, the members said that the class helped them with coping with depressions and finding their voice. Read more>>

Krystal Visions

In my earlier life I struggled with the idea that I needed to get a solid education and to find a good job with good benefits. The perfectly organized set up to segue you into the classic American capitalist structure of working hard for your keep. I was pretty much the most miserable person ever during that point. I was denying myself and the world my gifts out of fear. Read more>>

Patrick Feeney

Creative flow is a state of immersion so intense that my awareness of the outer world recedes. I lose track of time and experience feelings sparking joy and total engagement. I find my zone of enjoyment while I’m tinkering in my cozy crafting corner, cooking up a concoction in my witch’s kitchen, or experimenting on a digital canvas with cinematic effects for my social media content. When I am not creatively challenged, I become bored. But when challenged too much, I become frustrated. Read more>>

Michael Chris

I believe this is a very interesting question because who says you cannot do both? I have held down “regular jobs” throughout most of my independent filmmaking career. At the moment, I am in the final year of my education program and will be a certified teacher upon graduation while I am also in pre-production for a web series I wrote called Tree of Life and working at an after school program. I find fulfillment from both sides of my career. As a writer and filmmaker I am able to feed the creative appetite, but I also could not imagine not working with students in some capacity. Read more>>

Edward Doyle

I think there is a great mis-conception when it comes to being a “creative” or an “artist” in terms of a persons’ identity. I can speak for many when I say that there are so many “undiscovered” artists who just don’t have the luxury of time or opportunity to pursue their talents. While it may be the path that if given the chance, I would pursue with my whole heart, it is not always the day to day reality. As someone with a gift for creativity in the musical space, I’ve been able to balance a full time professional career in business with my personal passion for creativity and artistry in the music industry. Read more>>

Stephanie Bennett

I love being a creative in a creative field. Prior to opening my photography studio, I worked in local government for over a decade. I enjoyed it, and at the time it was the best place for me to be professionally. Then I was forced to make a unexpected career change, and struggled to find something that felt like a natural next step. Read more>>

Leonard Jackson III

Overall… I am happy as a creative that’s my default. If I’m not happy doing what I love doing then something is wrong. I do think to myself what if I work a 9-5 like my family? Would they be happy for me? Will I be able to make fast money like everyone else and leave before I get in too deep? I ask myself that question all the time while listening to poe was dream by K dot. Read more>>

Sloane Teagle

I am definitely happier as an artist. I can’t imagine being anything else. There are moments when it’s rough and I wish I would’ve been a lawyer or a doctor because it just seems easier, more stable, but I wouldn’t be fulfilled in any other profession. I’ve been toying with the idea of retiring from acting. I’ve acted since I was a child and was feeling down about not advancing professionally at the rate that I want to as an actress. Rejection is never fun and it feels personal when you’re constantly sharing bits of yourself and your artistry and it feels like there’s no return on investment. But at the end of the day, I love performing. I love telling stories! Read more>>

Maison Kwame

For me, this is a complex question. On one hand, I love being an artist. I thrive and feel alive when I’m creating or working on a project. It gives me a reason for being. I know that’s what I was put here to do. When you ask the question, am I happier as an artist, the answer is yes but no. Being an artist brings you no stability and a lot of unanswered questions. I often think about an interview Andre 3000 did a while back where he was talking about the struggles being an artist. He said he’d give away all every bit of his talent, just to feel normal. Just to fit in. I relate to that so much. Read more>>

G. Pack

I’d say I’m happy as an artist, but it definitely does get exhausting. Only about 30% of being an artist actually requires the creation of artwork. The rest of my time is split between consulting, scheduling, planning, marketing, networking, and the rest of my overall human needs: eating, sleeping, etc. I have to constantly bounce between a creative mindset and a business mindset, and those two thought processes typically contradict one another. It almost feels endlessly trying to write out your ideas with both of your hands. Read more>>

Zach Hofstad

I really want to encapsulate Austin via the sight-glass of coffee. “How is the Austin culture shared through coffee?” “How can one understand what Austin is all about from the different coffee shops we have here?” I recently wrote a blog piece about what the ‘coffee scene’ is in Austin, and how coffee can be used to bridge communities and be a catalyst for retaining the greatness of Austin. Read more>>

Cyd Ahlberg

My journey as an artist hasn’t been a straight shoot into success. I started out pursuing my degree in graphic design right out of high school. After my first quarter in college, making the dean’s list and getting a feel for the college experience, I decided to drop out of school. During that time period, I didn’t feel that school was the right place for me especially not attending a school in my hometown. Read more>>