This idea that the ONLY great job as a designer is one that lets you to fulfill all of your creative desires & make brilliant, world-changing work every day is toxic BS.

Another great job as a designer can be one that lets you pay all of your bills and live comfortably.

Try not to fall for the toxic mythologies you see online about what a good job is "supposed" to be. Simply being able to pay for all of your expenses can also be an excellent, amazing design job.

Making something incredible and game-changing that people react to and admire feels amazing.

Know what else feels amazing? Paying your bills on time and not having any credit card debt.

I went to an Elite Arts Institution™ & while I loved it, there was a clear sense that if you did not get a job at a Very Important Studio™ you somehow didn't do college right. Like "just" getting a full-time in-house at an everyday business was a kind of a failure.

Bull.
Shit.