Jobs you thought would be fabulous but actually weren't?

[GardenDreams]

I was a full time fine artist for 30 years (traditional painting, mixed media and pattern design) worked with book publishing, freelance, galleries, online print sales, various large companies and a few partnerships with celebs. Not as exciting as it sounds though, lol.

Throughout this period, many people looked at me with awe after asking what I did, mostly in surprise that I could earn enough to live on (it came close, at times). I do get the impression that many people think that this is a very thrilling and freeing way to live, but the reality was quite stressful and scary, at least financially, at times. It was a good long slog, with some tricky customers and another full time job dealing with social media. And the work never, ever stopped - there was no clocking off or guilt free holidays. Aside from the online glamour of how it looks, it eventually becomes less about self expression and more like a production line. At times I was completely, visually exhausted.

There are tons of newly proclaimed artists of a certain age on insta, and now more than ever before are offering art courses (after only 6 months in to being self taught), so it's very much a competitive kind of 'grind' culture which has multiplied in the past 6 years.. It is 'sold' as an alternative, lucrative side hustle, but is actually far from the oh so relaxing vibe these insta accounts make out in their posts.

I am still creating but have moved over into a new field that I love, and only now can I see how utterly draining and hard it was when I look back on it. But I am sure so many people still think the idea is quite romantic and liberating.

Anyone else with a similar story? I am cure there are tons of careers that sound wonderful to me, that might be really soul destroying or at least stressful in reality. My fantasy job would have been an archivist, but I took such a different path at ui that I dare say that boat sailed a long time ago!

Event production: Imagine being given nine babies and being told to keep them all alive, fed, happy and entertained whilst also making forty-nine phone calls, choosing the exact right colour from a choice of 19 shades of white, arguing with your set builders over 1.6 millimeters of polyboard whilst simultaneously telling your client how fabulous they are - and don't forget those 9 babies, and can you just jump onto a cab and run this across town and... you get the picture.

Actors/literary agent: Did this for 8 years. Ok but broadly speaking it's a combination of listening to whining/complaining people with big egos / reading shite submissions / sitting through dull productions / tedious fee negotiations / going through contracts with a fine tooth comb.

Film production: I think this is very much dependent on what your role is. General crew - horrendous: 5am call times / long days / all weathers / thankless tasks like 'locking off the street' (basically wearing hi vis and asking people to not cross the road whilst you are doing a take) for eleven hours. Quite a different experience if you reach producer/director/lead actor status. Treated with almost obscene deference (still early start though)

TV production: Endless endless meetings. And then some meetings. And more meetings. And budget cuts.

My dad did his hobby for a living. Imagine a sort of specialized craft.... He trained hard for years in several countries in order to perfect his skill, and was highly skilled and sought after. This meant he was able to pick and choose the work he took on and take breaks when he fancied. He really didn't do a days work in his life.

Ha ha just waiting for the B&B owner to come on! I ran a B&B from when I was 24-34. I enjoyed it but every other B&B owner seemed to be retired and doing it for fun or an easy life…none of which is possible! It’s hard work but I'm staring again at 40 …the first Hour doing breakfast is fun everything else is a slog!

@MarmiteMakesMeHappy - endless meetings in TV! I’m amazed anything ever gets made sometimes.

Those who deal with constant uncertainty and rejection in their roles, how do you deal with this? I mentioned I’m a writer but never knowing how much I’m going to make in a month or year is so stressful. I can’t ’give it up and do something else’ at this point, though I am thinking of a side hustle so at least I get some stability.

Would love to hear stories of how people made difficult jobs work (or indeed, made changes that were worth it)…