Do you ever wonder what life would have been like had you chosen a more standard path? Does everyone have these doubts sometimes? We wanted to find out and so we asked as many talented artists and creatives as we could and have shared highlights below.

Hyunbin Shin

I don’t think I can simply evaluate my current job for money. Meeting people and being able to record moments forever through the medium of photography is an attractive thing that can’t be traded for anything. Read more>>

Julie Liang

Yes, being an artist was the most significant choice I have ever made in my life so far. People always say it’s impossible for you to love your hobby still when it becomes your work, but it depends. Read more>>

Valeriia Sibirtseva

After graduating from university, I started working in banking on a 5/2 schedule. However, at that time I realized that my life lacked creativity and creativity. Read more>>

Kyle Brown Jr

I worked a few corporate jobs for homebuilders over the past 20 years. Looking back, it was always going to be a problem. Once, during a long 3-hour conference call (before Zoom became a thing), we were all taking a coffee break. Read more>>

Spiffy Evans

Yes I’m totally fulfilled as an artist. The pursuit of a passion that I’ve had since a kid has now warranted me so many opportunities. I’ve worked a typical job and I’ve done what society says we should do to provide. Read more>>

Stephen Reynolds

Life as an artist is trying, and endless. Success and failure are both short-lived. The shift from triumph to despair is way faster than you’d hope, or expect. Read more>>

Ceola Johnson

I am extremely happy as a artist/creative. I actually do still have a regular 9-5 job as well though. I do sometimes find myself resent my 9-5 b/c my dream is to be Singer/Songwriter full time and making my full living off of it. Read more>>

Hanyuan Guo

As an artist, I enjoy the exhilarating journey of creating an art piece. If I have a regular job, I foresee channeling every ounce of my passion and dedication into the craft, infusing it with the same enthusiasm and commitment I bestow upon my artistic endeavors. Read more>>

Christion Roney

Yes. I’ve had regular jobs. Regular jobs showed me that your day to day is everything. As a full time artist, I genuinely enjoy what I do on a daily basis. Read more>>

Marleen Pauwels

I guess every artist experiences moments of doubt, based on the challenges inherent in pursuing a career in art, such as financial instability and uncertainty. Read more>>

Denisse Beltrán

After graduating I started working as an editorial and graphic designer in the cultural field. This job had ups and downs because when you work for other people there’s always some kind of limitation, but it constantly gave me the satisfaction of being close to art, working for cultural dissemination gave a unique meaning to my practice, even if your work is not a hundred percent creative. Read more>>

Adrienne Belair

Yes, I am happy as an artists, in fact I attribute most of my happiness to my job which is something I couldn’t say when I was working a “regular job.” Read more>>

Yvonne Hinojosa

As a young creative, I find immense happiness in the path I’ve chosen. The hustle, the uncertainty—it’s all part of the excitement for me. Sure, it’s not the most stable career choice, especially in today’s economy, but at 24, I’m embracing the journey of exploration. Read more>>

Dustin Edward Arnold

One broad definition of an artist or creative I’ve had knocking around in my head is “someone with a very specific value system” if we take that to be true, by definition an artist is going to care deeply about things which others simply don’t. Read more>>

Chelsea Sinks

I love being an artist. Being a creative and connecting with other creatives is my biggest source of joy and inspiration. I recently met a bug dealer named Kim (@beesandwings on instagram) and my current project is gluing gemstones onto dead bugs. Read more>>

Kristen Jansen

Yes and Yes! Many times I have questioned if I’d be happier with a ‘regular’ job. When I am at a point where I truly consider thinking of other options, I make my pros & cons list. Read more>>

Tori Fernandez

I would perceive happiness more as an emotion but I am in a completely state of peace and self as a an artist. The way I see it, I just wouldn’t be able to survive any other way. Read more>>

Somesh Yatham

I can confidently say I’m generally happy as an artist, but it is something I think about often. With how tumultuous the industry seems to be, there’s a level of anxiousness that no amount of dedication or accomplishment I think will ever solve. Read more>>

Ziyi Zhang

Absolutely, I do wonder about that sometimes. Many of my friends have regular jobs, and I find myself occasionally comparing my lifestyle to theirs. Read more>>

Michelle Villegas

The struggling/starving artist route isn’t a path for the faint hearted, but it is truly what makes me happy. My passion has definitely been tested, but I knew the struggle would be a part of the artist journey. Read more>>

Raffi Simonian

As a creative person, I think it’s natural to wonder about that, and I certainly have. But I realize that it is likely just a misguided fantasy, acknowledging that the creative mind operates fundamentally differently than that of most people. Read more>>

Barrett Biggers

Being happy as a creative professional is not as simple as flipping a “make art” switch on inside your head. Many people misunderstand that pursuing a career in creative arts is not exactly “living the dream” and endless fun. Read more>>

Ashley Lumpkin

I’m incredibliy happy with the balance I’ve struck between my writing career and my “regular job” . I think that for a while I romanticized the notion of being able to support myself full time as an artist, but I’ve since come to realize that what I do as an educator is just as important to me as what I do as a writer. Read more>>

Phoenix Lord

Yes, I’m happy as an artist. I wouldn’t do anything else in the world. Having a normal job wouldn’t feed me the way music does. I feel free and connected to my life mission when I create my songs. Read more>>

Jeremy Harwell

I am very lucky and happy to work in a job that I find rewarding. Working for oneself isn’t easy because there are so many roles you must play to be successful. Read more>>

Miki Yamashita

I definitely feel that being an artist is a calling, and remaining steadfast in my pursuit of doing what I love to do makes me happy. There are huge sacrifices involved, and one of them is accepting the financial and emotional volatility of an artist’s life. Read more>>

Hosea 2Hollow

I would say I’m satisfied as an artist but I know there’s more to be done. The more I’m learning about this industry the more fun I have with it. From the little things to the business side, it’s like one big video game with a bunch of missions. Read more>>

Thomas Fry

Overall, I find immense fulfillment as an artist. While there are moments when doubts creep in, questioning whether a career in music is the right choice, I always circle back to the fact that there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing. Read more>>

Lizzy McCabe

I am and will always be the happiest I have ever been when I am in the rehearsal room. The thought of doing anything else does not exist for me. Read more>>

Denise Cerro

As a full time artist I couldn’t be any happier! That I get to make my own decisions, structure my days and business as I see fit…and do my art everyday is worth more than any paycheck I could receive at a regular job. Read more>>

Minami

Art and creativity have been one of my hobbies since childhood, so I’m really happy to be able to work professionally as an artist even after I’ve grew up. Read more>>

Lily Qi

It’s a constant struggle for me as a creative to think that I might be happier if I had a regular 9-5 job that sets my daily schedule. But over time I realized taking control of my own schedule offers me freedom many office workers don’t have. Read more>>

Shannon Meske

I’m more than happy to be an artist, I’m fulfilled by art. It’s more than just a job or hobby to me, it’s a way of life. Which, as I’m reading that back, sounds incredibly corny, but it’s true. Read more>>

Chris Rockwell

Well, I kinda have a regular job now. I work at a cafe and gallery, where I not only curate the art and manage events, but I make coffee and stuff like that. I am generally a happy, peaceful person. Read more>>

Wei-Fang Chang

Absolutely happy overall, although life is not always happy. I think “artist” is just one of my labels. To me, being an “artist” is just one of my many labels. Read more>>

Junran Yang

Seeing friends working in other industries makes me wonder, how do I secure a job as an artist. Yet I understand the challenges of making a living as an artist. Read more>>

Barbara Seyda

Happiness is so elusive. Being an artist is filled with potholes and obstacles. And yes, sometimes I’d love to have a regular job with a great salary and recognition. Read more>>

AUSTIN LEE

Before I decided to pursue my music career full-time, I had a pretty conventional lifestyle. I worked 9-to-5, five a week like most, and used the money I made from my time at Google to pay off my student loans. Read more>>

Jessica Bidonde

I’ve dreamed of being a full-time writer for as long as I can remember. When I decided to leave Corporate America and start my journey, I felt free and inspired. What I didn’t expect was being so lonely. Read more>>