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.

Hannah Martin

I do feel happier! I recently had a phone call with an old friend and they asked how I liked my life now in comparison to working for someone else for years. From age 16 I was working in restaurants. I always treated it like it was my own. But I was also never guaranteed I’d have my job. It’s funny we never really think about getting let go from a job until one day it did happen to me back in 2021. That wasn’t part of my plan, I was in shock as something like this has never happened before. At that moment I was faced with a hard decision, I can either go work for someone else and be unhappy or make a leap of faith to go to school for Microblading. Read more>>

Jasmine Jones

I absolutely love being an artist. While makeup artistry is my career of choice, I’ve always taken an interest in “the arts”. I can sing. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone.) I can also draw. One of my most favorite people, my uncle Tony, is an artist also. He paints, plays various instruments, & writes music. He’s a huge influence when it comes to taping into my creativity. I guess you could say being an artist, or creative is in my blood! Read more>>

Yi Chin Hsieh

I do wonder what it would be like if I worked in the tech, or in finance industries sometimes. But don’t get me wrong, overall I am very happy and excited to work as a creative in the art world. It feels great to work with people that are creative, sensitive, full of imagination, and have a lot of care about this world. There are a lot of different challenges of course, just like all other jobs. The biggest obstacle in the art field is that it is a generally low-pay industry, And this is worldwide, not just in the US. The starting salary of a finance major might be the salary for someone in the arts with ten years or more working experience, probably with a Ph.D. Most of the artists I know, including myself, works freelance and have several side jobs/gigs/projects at once to keep our life in balance. Read more>>

Lindsay Benjamin

This is such an interesting question because it is not black and white for me. I grew up wishing to be famous by the time I was twenty. While I did have an agent and pursue auditions for film/tv/singing/music and loved it, I still felt I was having an identity crisis. Performing is in my blood. Being creative is in my blood; but I knew there was another side of me wanting to explore and find out where my priorities lay, especially as I got older. Read more>>

Shun Lee Fong

I had the advantage of having a “regular job” for several years before becoming a full-time creative professional. I was a lawyer for five years, specializing in intellectual property and media & entertainment law – and ducking out of my firm at lunchtime to go to auditions my agent had lined up for me. At a certain point, I realized most of my time was being spent doing all the contracts and paperwork for the people who were getting to enjoy all the creative things that I was trying to make room for myself. It was then that I decided to fully pursue my own career in the arts & entertainment industries, and that ended up being an incredible turning point in my life. So having had a “regular job” first and experiencing what that was like, and by comparison, now experiencing the fulfillment of being a creative professional, I no longer think about what it would be like to have a regular job. Read more>>

Andrew Kinder

My first career was in engineering. I’ve always been a creative person my whole life and wanted some way to make it work. It wasn’t until I had developed a portfolio as a photographer that I considered it seriously, and eventually, it became a reality. Having been in careers in two different fields, I can confidently say that I am happier and more fulfilled as an artist. But that’s just me. Everyone I know has a different story and different circumstances to bring into the picture that makes one answer better or worse for them. Read more>>

Chris Charm

I am more happier than I’ve ever been in my life. Some people aspire to go to medical school to be a Doctor. Maybe even law school to be a lawyer. I’ve never wanted to be anything other than an actor. I’ve been on stage and performing since the 3rd grade. My love for my craft is a fulfillment that no other career path could have given me. Read more>>

Carissa Bloemeke

Always! I consider myself lucky that my days revolve around designing and making art, which I am constantly happy about. I’m typically designing brands during the day, painting and concepting art at night. I’m grateful that I can apply my passion to the everyday. I have considered what it would be like to be in a different field, I think most people consider “what if”. I almost pursued a different career path in college, but I’m happy I decided to pursue art. It feels like what I was born to do. It can be difficult to invent new artful concepts so often, but it is very fulfilling. It feels magical to be colorful and artsy all the time. Having a job where there isn’t as much pressure to be creative everyday wouldn’t feel as satisfying. Read more>>

Ke’lan Johnson

I am happy as an artist its defiantly my happy place i do get paid for my music but not enough at the moment to where i can survive off of it. So i do have a regular 9 to 5 which is okay for me it helps me pay for the things i need to further m career. Sometimes you gotta sacrifice to get to where you need to be. Read more>>

Author Untamed

Being that I have had a regular job, I can say with complete sincerity that I am a thousand percent happier being a creative. I am at my best when I am in my creative realm. My stress levels are decreased. I am more productive. My attitude toward all things, in general, is more positive and lighter. Overall, I am happier. How could I not be? I am doing what I love, not only as a hobby but for a living. Not being tied to a regular job affords me the opportunity to be present in my children’s and husband’s lives. We can plan vacations, attend their events or I can simply take care of the day-to-day functions for my family that I would not have been able to do if I were at a regular job. Read more>>

Phyllis Wong-Ellis

I am happy with being an artist. I often times wonder what it’s like to have a regular job. Crazy enough, I applied for numerous jobs and did not get hired. My husband can tell you how many times I applied and how many times I got rejected. One day, I was at home balling my eyes out because I just received another rejection email and I didn’t know how I was going to fund the trips I have coming up and he says to me, “You know babe, maybe this is God way of saying this season is not for you to get a job. If it’s God’s will, he’ll make a way.” Read more>>

Soleille

I love what I do. I love making music. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else on the planet but that doesn’t make the journey easy. When you’re an artist, especially when you’re in the early parts of your career, you face so much rejection and heartache that you wonder if all the pain is even worth it. Read more>>

Dane Brown

I think content is a better word for how I feel to be an artist. There are ups and downs with it but the creative process is what I live for the most, creating something from nothing. Read more>>

Deepa Gheewala

The creative field has always been my happy place. After becoming a Cake Artist, my passion and creativity got a better direction to grow. Each day is a new challenge with new possibilities that motivates me to keep going. The best part is when those beautiful happy smiles and feedback I get from the clients that made their special occasion even more special. What an amazing accomplishment! Read more>>

Polo Baybee

Yes, I’m very much happy as a music artist No, I haven’t really thought bout what it would be like to have a regular job in a long time. The last time I actually thought about that was in 2019 when at one point i was thinking about giving up on doing music, but then as time progressed, alot of famous celebs was cosigning me and my career started to elevate Read more>>

Sara Stites

My husband has often said that, had I put this kind of devotion toward real estate, I’d be rolling in dough. I have wondered whether I could have sold art or been a museum professional since I jump at the chance to hang out “behind the scenes” in both places. Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the hanging of a show of my work at the Orlando Museum of Art. Of course, that was honoring me and my work: would I care so much about someone else’s? Read more>>

Nay Basquiat

Sometimes, yes. It has its up and downs like every other job has. As a person who writes TV & movie scripts and music, sometimes writer’s block can occur. It can be frustrating and stressful at times.. especially when they give you a deadline. Read more>>

Brett Tachi

I actually think about this a lot, which is ironic because I’ve had “regular” jobs, and all I used to think about was what it would be like to be an artist. But now that I’m on the other side, I’m faced with the reality of running a business based on something that is so incredibly personal, and to put it simply, it’s both exhilarating and f*cking scary. Read more>>