Why My Job Sucks -Confessions of an Artist/Entrepreneur

One of the most pervasive and destructive lies in the world of art and creativity is that if you do what you love you won’t work a day in your life. 

Nearly anything you schedule yourself to do all day, day in and day out, will feel like work at some point. 

And yet many of us (including artists) think of the creative act as a singular moment, something of an emotional epiphany, or a trance like state that comes upon the blessed in a moment of precious glory! But alas, most creativity looks like putting action to the uncomfortable tasks ahead of us.

Stephen pressfield says this about art and work:

“The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.”

Ironically, many of the people who tout this idea of following your dreams so you don’t work a day in your life are people who are using their current job as an excuse for their lack of ambition.

I am doing exactly what I want to do for a living and it still feels like work most of the time–just like anyone else’s job.

It feels like work. 

And this is the case for every creative person I know. The hardest part is often the part we ought to be drawn to, since the struggle usually lies right before the creative breakthrough and a job free of “work” is also free of real tangible growth.

“Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and work.”

 -Chuck Close