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.

Ramiro Marziani

I’d like to begin by answering, “Yes”. I am happy doing what I do, which consists of performing as a Touring Guitarist and Studio Musician for artists and songwriters. I am also a Recording Artist of my own compositions and a Private Music Instructor. But it’s not an obvious answer. Do I wonder what it would be like to have a regular job? Yes. It is through this thought process that I am able to draw conclusions and parallels that can sustain my state of happiness and purpose as a creative. Read more>>

Aidan Scrivens

I don’t know of anyone in any industry who could objectively say that they are “happy” in their role because that implies a certain sense of consistency. As with any job (and it is a job), being an artist/creative has its ups and downs, its good days and bad days, its moments of euphoria and its moments of utter despair. For every upside, life as a creative has it compromises in other areas, and anyone considering this life ought to weigh up what they value most. Read more>>

Charlie Trujillo

I’ve been listening to the Beastie Boys a lot lately. You know that line in ‘No Sleep Till Brooklyn,’ ‘my job ain’t a job, it’s a damn good time’? That’s how I feel about my life as a creative 90% of the time. The remaining 10% very much feels like work or a gig, and that ratio fluctuates, varying season to season. Personally, I reflect on the time when I set some of my goals and compare it to where I am now. This helps me keep the stoke up and remember why I started pursuing what I do. Read more>>

Steph Littlebird

I am proud to be an artist. Being a creative in this world comes with a certain power/authority that can be used to make an impact on the world. I worked in the corporate world for over a decade and the only thing I miss about it is the regular paycheck. I am an entrepreneur now and largely determine my own schedule. Being an artist comes with certain responsibilities but also freedoms. Read more>>

Brandon Pulphus

I worked as a full-time artist for about a year and a half, and I can say with full confidence that it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I made more money than i did at my full-time job, but I was forced to take on every gig that came my way since I didn’t have any other source of income. Read more>>

Delaney Hafener

I actually do have a regular job, sometimes it feels like I have two simultaneous careers. My “day career” is in community radio, my “night career” is with my band The Belle Curves and playing bass in a handful of my friends’ projects. I find working in public media very fulfilling, I love the people I get to work with in the field, and it is adjacent to what I do as a musician but it isn’t drawing on the same creative sources so even if I’m tired at the end of a full work day, I don’t feel creatively drained the way I did when I was freelancing. Plus community radio and original music so clearly go hand-in-hand! It’s very symbiotic. Read more>>

Nirvan Patnaik

I am happy as a creative! I have never doubted that this is the right choice for me and I only feel more secure as time goes on. However, I admire the way people with more traditional jobs find meaning in their lives without having to make their passion their profession. From an outsider perspective, there often seems to be a healthy boundary between work and life: people have families, they have hobbies and everything they do isn’t necessarily something they use to promote their brand. Read more>>

Damien (Seo young) Jeon

I am happy and grateful to work as a full-time freelance illustrator for several reasons. First, I love the flexibility of managing my own schedule and have the freedom to do time management. I work from home and I am free to use my morning time. I can go to the library to read a book or take a bike ride before starting work. I usually work after lunch and continue late into the night. I have established a routine that suits me well. Read more>>

Pill Concepcion

i finally found joy working as an artist when i let go of societal expectations that i had internalized; this happened to coincide with my journey as an lgbtquia+ person. a lot of my artwork has a warm, nostalgic feeling to it, which is my expression of reclaiming lost time. i’m reaching out to intersecting communities of marginalized identities and connecting with them with my art, as well. when i worked a 9-“5” job, i found myself so disconnected from everything — the world, media, myself. the dissociation was disasterous. the isolation was dangerous. my life is fulfilling, now. Read more>>

Kat Padlan

As an artist, I don’t think I’m ever really satisfied in my work enough to constantly be happy, but what I do as an artist does make me joyful and happy when I do it. That’s the hard part about any artist, we dream and dream about being big, but it also takes time. My regular day-to-day job has nothing really to do with music, but as a creative, it lends itself for me to be able to get creative in my everyday at work. Read more>>

Mel McCann

I often wonder what having a typical 9-to-5 gig would be like. It’s a bit of a struggle to wrap your head around the fact that your passion has turned into your job. Juggling the demands of professional creativity and finding time for personal projects is no joke, especially after spending the day making and solving problems. Many creatives, including myself, started creating for the joy of it at a young age, and I sometimes miss that escape into another world. Read more>>

Qiurui Du

I’m pretty happy. I started drawing when I was very young, but it was just a hobby. Because I like to be alone with myself, when I paint, I can create a world that belongs to me and put my ideas and emotions into my creation. I never thought that I would be engaged in the art industry when I grew up. Even when I was in school, I still didn’t figure out what I wanted to do. I decided to become a professional artist when I was in graduate school. Read more>>

Dylan Collado

As scary as it can be sometimes. Yes , I am happy to be doing what I love everyday , paths can change and there will be always be obstacles that will make it difficult to grow but by doing what I love I get to learn more things everyday, more experiences and stories that make my heart full Read more>>

Erin Christensen

I am very happy creating baking and decorating content. My work is enjoyable every day, and I love that I am able to be creative, spend time coming up with my own ideas, and having the flexibility to bring these to life while sharing them with others. It provides me the ability to pursue success while still supporting my family as a stay-at-home-mother to our three children. Read more>>

Benjamin Kelly

The short answer is: yes, I’m happy as an artist and I wouldn’t trade it for any job in the world. The longer answer is that, like anyone, I’m obviously not always happy. The music game has its drawbacks. The path to getting your art out there is never super clear, and because it can be difficult to see tangible results, it’s often easy to fall down the rabbit hole of self-doubt. Read more>>

Matteo Guastamacchio

This is an exceptionally hard question to answer… It’s probably important to qualify “regular job”. I will assume we’re talking about nine-to-five’s, punch in punch out for The Man. Being a creative professional oftentimes requires you to work on projects that are deeply unrewarding and draining. We give so much of ourselves when we create. Read more>>

Leslie Kwan

I am definitely happy as a creative! So many components of the job are rewarding in their own ways, from coming up with the initial idea to problem solving to seeing it all come together in the end. That was what made me fall in love with illustrating and just creating in general! It is so surreal to be able to hold my work in my hands and connect with others who enjoy it as well. Read more>>

Stephanie Schultz

Being an entrepreneur and running your own business is not for the weak. With that being said, I am so extremely grateful to live this life that I’ve created. To be able to wake up every day without an alarm, and set my own schedule. Read more>>

Nick Horst

It’s such a tricky question, “am I happy as an artist?” My instinct is to be, like, oh ya! Absolutely, every thing is just great, grand wonderful! No second guessing here, I’m just a super happy Actor guy. Read more>>

Marissa Huber

I do have a regular job, and it’s part of my story and I actually love my job. I’m a consulting director focusing on workplace strategy, change management and experience and culture. I help companies figure out how to make their office places and hybrid strategies work better for their people, teams, and positively impact the company. It’s why I’m also interested in coaching, and helping others to find their passion – whether that is a side gig or passion project or their actual career. read more>>

Jerry Bennett

I am utterly delighted to work as a full time illustrator. I worked for 16 years as operator of a machine that prepared interior pre-hung doors for residential homes, and it was exactly as exciting as it sounds, so I don’t even have to wonder what a regular job would be like. Read more>>

Tina Carbone

I truly am happy being in production and doing what I love for a living. Even on the most challenging day, the most stressful projects, I still haven’t ever wanted a “regular” job. Back when I was first starting out and had to have a part time job (or 2) to sustain myself, I never wanted to get too comfortable and end up stuck doing something I didn’t love. Read more>>

Huhao Yang

I have always thought that I am lucky and happy to be able to create art works as my job to make a living. Because this allows me to truly create something of my own and meaningful. Read more>>

Melinda Smith Altshuler

I announced I would be an artist at age 7. I was bad as a little ballerina as all girls of the 50’s were taught and no one ever responded to my walking around singing but when I drew, I was seen. My parents didn’t know what that really meant as a future but were not limiting me in thought just accepting and supportive. I did not come from a sophisticated background. Read more>>

Ashgela Sanders

I’m very happy and content with being a nail technician. Taking care of my clients nails is what I absolutely love doing. Their reviews and feedback are fantastic. Read more>>