Show notes
Welcome to episode 179 of the Extraordinary Creatives podcast - Should You Quit Your Job to Be an Artist?
There’s a moment every artist fantasises about. The email sent. The notice handed in. The clean break. Finally, time, headspace, freedom.
But more time doesn’t automatically mean better work. Sometimes it means more fear.
So, Should you give up your full-time job to pursue your art?
Not in theory. Not in Instagram-caption wisdom. But in real life, with real nervous systems, real rent, real doubt, and real ambition. This episode was sparked by a conversation inside her Artist Mastermind Circle.
An artist who’d built a successful business alongside his practice. Financially stable. Thoughtful. Clear-eyed. And still asking himself the hardest question of all. Is now the moment to make a clean break?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Quitting your job won’t magically fix your practice. It might give you space.It might also give you anxiety, comparison, and a nervous system in overdrive. Before you burn the bridge, build the baton. Steady the work. Strengthen the support. Then decide.
Anxiety has a way of shrinking creativity. It narrows risk. It softens ambition. It pushes you towards safer work, not braver work. That's not a moral failure, that's biology.
Before you quit, make sure your work is strong, you’re truly committed to sharing it and ready for the time and energy doing that takes. Ensure your inner world is steady, you’re supported, and you’ve tested that your art can actually sustain you. Don’t jump; build the bridge.
BEST MOMENTS
“More time doesn't automatically mean better work. Sometimes it means more fear.”
“A sustainable creative career isn't built on bravery alone. It's built on emotional regulation. Your thoughts affect your feelings. Your feelings affect your actions. Your actions create your results.”
“Can you manage your inner weather when doubt hits? Do you have tools to regulate yourself, or do you collapse into self, judgement and comparison and shrink?”
“The lone, brave warrior fantasy is seductive. And dangerous. It's bullsh**t. No artist gets there alone.”
PODCAST HOST BIO
With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She has sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.
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Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course
Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.
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This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/