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.

Hazel Ho

Most certainly, in fact, I think it’s almost inevitable for me. There is an innate conviction for me to create that I cannot ignore. It’s the most fulfilling path I can envision. Read more>>

Cael Dadian

Happiness has lost its meaning to me over the years. I’ve realized that it isn’t a very tangible objective and if it is, there definitely isn’t any shortcut to it. The closest I’ve found that I’m able to get to it is absolutely through creative endeavors and little wins (outside of family and loved ones). Read more>>

Evil Intent

We’ve had normal jobs before but we’ve always been extremely proud of the cult we have built. If it’s between spearheading a bunch of people who like facepaint and violence or working a 9-5 which one would you pick? Read more>>

Andy Romanoff

I spent over fifty years working as a creative for others in one way or another. Some of that time was wonderful and eventually, it was lucrative, but nothing compares with waking up every morning and working on what I want to work on. Read more>>

Jan James

Sometimes it feels a bit strange to “need” to do this. From the beginning, I felt oddly drawn to the stage. Almost like a force field pushing me to get up in front of people. I will never forget the first time I did perform. I was at a bar where a blues band was playing. Read more>>

Sheila Zhang

I am extremely happy and honored to have become an Illustrator. I consider myself luckier than many around me because my parents have provided unwavering support and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. To facilitate this journey, they invested substantially to send me abroad for further education. Read more>>

Chris Wirsig

For a long time I actually had regular jobs, and I’m lucky that I always liked these as they were as fulfilling as an artist career – some of them overlapped that part as well, especially the time I worked as editor at a German musician’s magazine. The longest regular job was with a software company, where I worked in marketing and PR, which was quite creative too (although not in the music field). Read more>>

Jenny Cha

am very happy with the career I chose being a hairstylist. It has given me the option to be as creative as I want and bring out the natural artist I am with this job. I love the feeling of being able to create a look for my clients, whether they give me the freedom to do whatever I’d like or if we collaborate our ideas together to get the final look. Read more>>

Charlie J Memphis

Though I’m happy to be a creative and have the opportunity to do what I love as a career, I do often ponder what life would be like under the umbrella of 9 to 5 living. Following your dreams and passion will never be convenient till you’ve “made it” and there are a lot easier ways to make money in this life than to pursue life within music. Read more>>

Parker Day

At Subway they call the people who make your sandwiches “Sandwich Artists.” I used to joke that I wanted to give up the grind of hustling for photography clients and Instagram likes to embrace the simple life of a Sandwich Artist. Mayo? No Mayo? Wheat or White? Simple. Peaceful. Pure. My current reality is that I do have a “regular job” as it were. Read more>>

Elle Hong

I’m wondering about the word “happy.” I think it’s incredibly loaded and I don’t know if I believe in happiness, per se. What I mean is, I don’t believe in one singular definition of happiness that we all feel equally. What qualifies our happiness? How are we measuring it? Read more>>

Mike Racanelli

I don’t think that being happy as an artist is achievable. Being an artist or a creative is an itch you can never quite scratch. It’s perpetually solving ethereal problems. It’s feeling everything too deeply and having to translate that in a way that the world can maybe, just maybe, understand. I’m not saying I’m miserable by any stretch, I’m perfectly content when I get to create. Read more>>

Glass Cities

For us it’s really not a matter of being happy or not- we need it. Since the beginning it has never been about choice or being happy or unsatisfied with all the elements that come into the equation of the lifestyle as an artist- more specifically an independent/emerging one, it just feels right. It’s more an instinct, a sixth sense telling us this is the right path, like they say ´´there’s no plan B´´. Read more>>

Kristen Miller

Yes, I have and it’s the best feeling in the world, to be able to support my family and kids with my hands and with art. I heard many times that I was going to amount to nothing, so to be able to own my own business, that is successful and inclusive to all, is fantastic. I’m so happy I have the support system I do and I kept pushing for my goals because there’s no way I could work a monotonous 9-5 corporate job. Read more>>

Abeje TheAtre

I am very happy being an artist. Honestly, in 2019, when the pandemic hit is when everything changed for me. I was working full time at a staffing agency. It was hard work before, but it became quite the headache after COVID went rampant. Expectations were unreasonable and considering there was a small number of us, the pressure seemed worse. Read more>>