Over the last few weeks I’ve had the same conversation more often than I’d like.
An artist, usually a good one, tells me they’re thinking about getting out. Work has slowed, rates are under pressure, and the whole industry suddenly feels doomed.
I get it. It’s a rough market right now and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.
But I usually advise against leaving.
What’s happening right now isn’t a 3D problem. It’s a worldwide economic problem.
So if you switch industries, it will most likely follow you. Except now you’re starting over, with no network, no reputation and no experience, in a market that’s just as tight.
You’d be trading a hard situation for a harder one.
The better move is almost always to adapt where you are. And that usually means the part nobody wants to hear: getting out of your comfort zone. More outreach than you’re used to. Reconnecting with people you haven’t spoken to in a year. Saying your rate out loud to new kinds of clients. Trying a channel you’ve been avoiding.
None of that is fun. It’s still a lot easier than rebuilding a whole career from zero.
Slow markets don’t wait for anyone to feel comfortable.
The people who adapt while it’s slow are the ones still here when it picks up.
– Moritz
Tiny tactical tip:
If you’re thinking about leaving, write down what it would take to start over somewhere new. Then write down what it would take to adapt here. Compare the two honestly. The second list is almost always shorter.