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.

Hemans Erilia

I don’t think I can be happier anywhere else except for when I’m making music. Sure, there are times when there’s a voice in the back of my mind that goes, “hey having a stable job sounds mighty enticing right now”. Usually when I have no idea if what I create will ever be heard, if I can earn the next pay check (or even any at all), or when someone from school just dropped their first deposit in a house and you’re still trying to figure out if this is the career path you want. When you’re at your annual family dinner and your uncle goes “how’s that cute little hobby going?”. Read more>>

Daniela Acosta Parsons

It’s a recurring thought. It’s no secret that the life of artists is precarious, and only a few manage to overcome an invisible barrier and live fully off their creations. Often, doubts about having enough time and money to dedicate to creation paralyze me in the moment of creating. Read more>>

Cecily Su

Being an artist is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It fuels my creativity and keeps me deeply connected to my inner self in ways nothing else can. However, the journey is not always easy. I sometimes wonder what life might have been like if I had chosen a conventional career—a stable, predictable, and perhaps less stressful 9-to-5 job where expectations are clear, and the constant creative pressure is absent. Read more>>

Ryckie Bian

As an art student, I find immense satisfaction in what I do. I’m truly passionate about using art as a medium to tell stories and create immersive worlds. It’s incredibly fulfilling to bring my ideas to life through my work.

That said, like many students, I do have some concerns about transitioning into the professional world. As a fresh graduate entering the workforce, I understand that I’ll need to follow the guidance of senior team members, such as the lead artist or higher-level management. This makes choosing the right company crucial for my growth. I’m particularly eager to work under leaders with extensive industry experience, as I believe learning from them will be invaluable for my development. Read more>>

Cleon Tate Jr

To me they go hand in hand. I’m not one without the other. When I was younger as a kid I started a singing group during the turbulent times of the 1960’s. Even then creative and artist walked hand in hand. Through music everything seemed better. People sang, laughed and did not curse or put down their fellow man or women because of the color of their skin. During this same time I started a marching band because of my love of the USC Trojans Marching band and Traveller. I was the band leader because I didn’t have an instrument nor did I know how to play one. Fast forward to high school and I formed a doo-wop group. Read more>>

Keoni Paakaula

I am very happy as an artist! I make most of my income from tattoos, but like most artists I have a need to create and get ideas out. I enjoy making stickers and apparel on the side. as well as painting once in a while.

I think about getting a “real job” all the time. Ill see ads for jobs or just people working interesting jobs I never thought about before (like the guy who rides on the back of the truck and puts out/picks up traffic cones), and Ill think about going to apply. I think its because being an artist doesn’t always feel like work, most of the time its just hanging out with friends in our art cave being goofy. Read more>>

Anubhav Kaushish

When I completed my undergraduate degree in Animation, I had a choice either to take a traditional 9-to-5 job or pursue a path that truly excited me. The idea of a structured routine—waking up at 7:30 AM, rushing through breakfast, battling traffic, spending eight to ten hours in an office, coming home, eating dinner, and repeating the cycle never appealed to me. I knew that wasn’t the life I wanted. Read more>>

Laomo Wang

As a creative professional, I often find myself in a bit of a pickle. Constantly pondering and pumping out creative ideas and inspiration really stresses me out, both mentally and physically. The joy in artistic creation is usually just a brief moment in the long process. It could be that instant when inspiration strikes, when a piece is finished, or when I break through a creative block. Right after, an empty feeling hits, as if I’m muttering, “Oh no, here I go again.” Read more>>

Fairlith Harvey

I’m happiest when I’m actively bringing one of my ideas to life. My projects tend to wait in my head fully formed; it’s less about discovery and more about finding ways to communicate my vision to others and to break it all down into steps. That’s the real challenge. Read more>>

Moie Qian Yang

Being an artist is both a gift and a burden—an existence where fulfillment and struggle often intertwine. For me, creating is not just a profession; it is a way of being, a lens through which I understand and translate the world. Yet, I constantly find myself asking: Should I keep going? Should I continue being an artist? Read more>>

Mario Nobilio

Finding a balance between living a “regular” life and meaningful involvement in creative endeavors has always been a challenge. The dependability on a steady paycheck is a very comforting thing when it’s time to pay the bills. Making time to do all the things needed to have progress in a creative career is definitely a tight rope walk. So for myself i am still doing both, but trying to get myself in a situation where the creative side is the top priority all the time. Read more>>

Elo Manning

Most of the time I do feel happy with being a artist because I enjoy what I do and have a deep connection to my gifts, especially when I use my creativity for healing and advocacy. However, sometimes I do think about a reality of me having a more conventional job due to the pressure of society and social norms to meet certain material expectations. Consider that as an artist I came to understand that I can’t live for the expectations of another but to love what I do and know that one day I will be where I want to be with hard work, patience, and love. Read more>>

Cissy Stag

Truthfully? No. I am not happier as a creative.

I’m a self-published author—the living, breathing manifestation of The Tortured Poets Department, but with a staff of one. While I love writing, that doesn’t mean my job is easy. It’s a lot harder than my old insurance job—the one with benefits, a 401(k), and predictable paychecks. Back then, my biggest stressors were call metrics and underwriting guidelines. Now, my biggest stressor is survival. Read more>>

Khalisah Hameed

Anytime people ask me how I am doing since I transitioned into focusing on my business full-time, I say that I am the happiest and most stressed I have ever been in my life. Happiest because I can wake up Monday through Thursday knowing that I am doing what I love with people I deeply enjoy and respect, though that joy I feel often gets dampened by the reality that I can’t afford the life that I’m accustomed to living yet. The key word here is YET. I still work a part-time job as a barista on the weekends, so I am still very honest with myself about the limitations of pursuing art and entrepreneurship full-time, but I have sustained a massive income cut by reducing my hours at the cafe. Read more>>

Caprice Woods

I have always considered myself an artist at a young age. My first job was working as a muralist for the city of Cincinnati where I participated in a beautification program of blight buildings. Whenever I’ve tried to work a regular job, I felt stifled and depressed. I like being creative and creating in various ways that expressed my interests, passion or even activism. For me being a creative is an essential for my life. I often think that I should go after money or success in the matter of status but I know creating is where my heart is. My hope is I become more confident in my ability to create events successfully and evolved into a place of not just contentment but understanding that my art speaks for itself. Read more>>

Ellie Holliday

Being an artist is being a storyteller. It is a way of navigating the world and paying attention to the finer details. As a multi-disciplinary artist, I often have moments of deep satisfaction when I’m in the flow of creating. Whether I’m filming, building, writing, designing, or collaborating with another creative, there’s this undeniable sense of fulfillment that comes from expressing myself. But there are also times—like anyone, I suppose—when I look at my life and wonder what it might be like to just… not have to think so much. To just show up to a regular job where everything is straightforward, and I’m not always battling with my inner critic, struggling to keep the creativity flowing, or searching for my next freelance gig. Read more>>

Kushal Shah

Yes, I am definitely happier as an artist, and there are several reasons for this. I’ve always been a storyteller at heart. The stories my grandparents used to tell me and the ones I read in books fascinated me. I think that planted the seed for my passion for creating stories and narratives. Having experienced this from my childhood, it all came very naturally to me. Read more>>

Brett Colonell

As time has passed, I must admit that I am happier as an artist. However, it wasn’t always easy to express this sentiment because I had always aspired to be a mechanical engineer. I managed to obtain my degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder, even after sustaining a spinal cord injury at the C4/C5 vertebrae level during my sophomore year. Read more>>