To be successful as an artist (and by success, I mean the ability to generate sufficient income to feed yourself and your family), we depend on doing work that other people like or want to buy. And that is totally okay. At the end of the day, we need to create something that adds value to others.
There are very lucky people who get paid for doing something they really love. And I count myself among those people. Almost all my projects don’t feel like “work”. Isn’t that crazy? I am grateful for that. I really am.
Sometimes though, what you love creating, and what other people want, are quite different. And sometimes you don’t have the luxury to decline projects that come your way. So, you white-knuckle your way through them. I have done that too. Sometimes with a bit of emotional damage as a result. ;-)
What I learned quickly, is that there is a line where personal integrity and mental health no longer overlap with the potential financial gains. A line where the sacrifice is not worth the benefits. A line that I decided not to cross. It is often a gut feeling that tells you right at the beginning of the conversation: “This will not be over quickly. You will not enjoy this.” This feeling is not always obvious, but it gets better with experience.
I think it is better to not do some projects and suffer a little, rather than suffer a lot afterwards. And believe me, there are many really cool and extraordinary people out there. People it is a pleasure to work with. People it’s worth waiting for.