Is it natural to wonder what life would have been like had you chosen a different path? Is it common? We asked many artists and creatives from all over the country if they’ve ever wondered about whether they should have pursued a more standard career path to see what we could learn from their stories.

Max Bergmanis

I do wonder about a regular job at times, though I find it interesting that music is categorized separately from a normal 9-5 gig. However, I actually have found a bit of career consistency playing piano for wedding bands. It doesn’t hit the same sweet spot as writing and performing my own songs, but it does fund the hobby. Read more>>

Sade Prisila Preciado Leon

I think artistry has saved my life. Nothing has been more fulfilling than discovering who I am from through art, I believe art goes hand in hand with love, sex, music, creativity. I remember always feeling like I wanted to do more, live more, feel more. Read more>>

Nour El Ain Najar

Art is my refuge, a world where I can truly be myself and think freely. It’s in this space that I shed layers and faces, focusing on my self-improvement. If I had to choose a job that brings me joy, it would undoubtedly be being an artist. Yet, the reality in Tunisia is more complex. Read more>>

Carolina Yáñez

I think about this question a lot– especially as I approach my last year in graduate school. I’m still young, so the future is still open. But a lot of time, and money has been invested in my art. My art has and will continue to take so much from me on a personal level. Read more>>

Ernesto Garcia

I actually have a regular job, as well as write/record/perform music. I gave it the college try and was never really able to make enough money to survive. I think it is VERY difficult to make a living as a professional musician that only wants to perform their own original music. Read more>>

Delphine Bordas

Becoming an artist offers an enormous amount of freedom that can be overwhelming as it brings more responsibilities. My biggest hurdle to leave my regular well-paid job to become an artist was to accept that I could be successful or… fail. Why leave something I was good at? Read more>>

Xiaoran Liu

In fact, right after graduating from graduate school in the United States, I worked in another industry due to the pandemic. I mainly studied music performance (Chinese bamboo flute) and arts management in school, but when COVID first broke out, no arts organizations or institutions were hiring. Read more>>

Jackie Romankow

I am definitely happy as an artist, though I find it easy to slip into the mindset of “if I had a regular job, I’d be happier.” I recently went home to visit my parents and found myself in the house I grew up in. There, I thought all about my old classmates and how many of them are now successfully working corporate jobs with long hours and big paychecks. Read more>>

Hsiao-Wei Hsiang

Being a freelance artist means being in control of your own destiny, whether it’s managing your time or liaising with clients. The greatest advantage is being able to enjoy the quiet streets of SoHo, museums, and parks on a weekday afternoon. Conversely, the biggest downside of freelancing is the unstable income. Read more>>

Yuqing Sheng

I didn’t start with the firm intention of pursuing an art career. Although drawing has been my hobby since I was a child. I, my parents, and everyone around me only saw it as a “hobby” – a way of regulating my daily life, not a serious career by any means. Read more>>

Sharron Gregg

lol well that’s easy! Just a few weeks ago! So I was so stressed and tired. Mentally exhausted and physically exhausted. I was selling small works of art and getting worried about the bills. So much so that I was forcing myself to consider getting a job(as if this isn’t one!) Read more>>

Chloe Vaught

At the end of the day, I am in my happy place as an artist. I think when things are really overwhelming is when I stop and ask myself, “Why am I doing all this? Should I just have a normie job?” When you’re 100% freelance, sometimes you can wind up in these scenarios where you’re doing so many different gigs and shows all at the same time, and it can feel like there’s nothing left in the creative reserves at the end of the day! Read more>>

Alixandrée Claire

I am an Artist through and through. Always have been, always will be. I love what I do, and I cannot think of anything else that would fulfill me the same. That being said, I do sometimes think about what it would be like to have a regular job. Those thoughts usually come into play around the start of every month when rent is due. Read more>>

Dianna Forwell

I am definitely happier as an artist and creative. I love painting portraits, I love weddings, and I always wanted to have my own small business. This job is incredibly fulfilling, but there are some obstacles (as there would be with any job). Working in the wedding industry means you do not work the same schedule as everyone around you. Read more>>

HennyCi

There’s actually not a simple answer I can give to best answer this because I’ve never actually not worked a regular job while pursing my passions and creative longevity goals. As we all know, the economy alone makes it a challenge to sustain a suitable income, while allowing a person to not only focus on their passion but be able to invest in it from the ground up. Read more>>

Nida Khurshid

Yes and yes! Although, a regular job for me would still be in the creative field–I’ve fantasized about being a chef. I’m a good home cook and love creating new recipes in my kitchen for my loved ones. Who knows, maybe I’ll pursue it one day too, or release a cookbook ;) Read more>>

Cameron Williams

I am thrilled to be a musician. Growing up I was always a big fan of music, taking my headphones, iPod Switch, and eventually my first phone, everywhere I possibly could take them with me. Of course, being a musician requires having the finances to promote your work, upgrade studio equipment, and all the other aspects of the art that have a price tag attached to them. Read more>>

Lee Krauss

I couldn’t be happier living the lifestyle as an artist. It has its ups and downs for sure. Some of the positives of making art and selling it, is seeing the joy it brings to people that have received a piece of my work. I also love the process of making the it and getting my hands dirty and the problem solving. Read more>>

Max Chenxi Cao

I’m definitely happy with my life as a creative. As a recent graduate with a degree in communication design, and an international student trying to find a job in the city while the job market is currently a wild mess, the past two months of summer have not been easy for me. Before graduation, I had a very ambitious and fulfilling vision for my future career. Ideally, I hoped to have a full-time job as a designer, while also working as a tattoo artist on weekends or in my spare time, continuing my pursuit of this art form.  Read more>>

Peter Rippon

There isn’t really a category that applies to me in your ‘interview’ process. For over twenty years I ran a cabinetry and design company in New York City specializing in high end furniture and interiors. I came to this business via an art school and design education in the U.K. I arrived in New York as a painter and writer some years ago, and then morphed into design.  Read more>>

Josefina Barreix

For me it is very difficult to have another job, although it is true that creativity has helped to make jobs that are more automatic more inspiring and fun. But I did need, at one point in my life, to take that quantum leap and give myself 100% to creativity and give way to all the expressions that my being was asking for. Read more>>

Mercedes Blanche

You know, as an actress/social media personality, my life is filled with a lot of excitement, unpredictability, and creative energy. It’s a life I love, but every now and then, I find myself wondering what it would be like to have a “regular” job. This thought usually sneaks up on me during those rare moments of downtime or when I feel burntout when the hustle and bustle of the industry quiets down and I have a chance to breathe and reflect. Read more>>

Camille Cabrera

Becoming a creative is the best and most difficult decision I’ve ever made. I can’t imagine feeling the same sense of purpose in a different career. Before writing, I worked in traditional office settings. The jobs were dependable, but I felt restless. I remember coming home and writing for hours just to give myself an emotional outlet.  Read more>>