Am I Giving Up on My Dreams?

THIS IS A SEGMENT FROM AN EXCLUSIVE PATREON EPISODEIn this deeply personal solo episode, Mike grapples with a question every artist faces at some point—am I quitting, or am I just redefining success? He reflects on his journey, from early artistic passion to professional wins and disillusionments, and explores how shifting cultural and economic landscapes have made traditional paths feel increasingly unstable. Through candid storytelling, he unpacks why industry validation may no longer be the gold standard for a meaningful creative life.Mike challenges the conventional wisdom that success means climbing an outdated industry ladder and instead asks: what if sustainability, autonomy, and artistic fulfillment are the real measures of success? This episode is a raw and unfiltered look at the crossroads many artists find themselves at today.EP #59 OF CREATIVE RISKJoin our Patreon for ad-free early access to episodes, exclusive discounts, weekly Q&As, and so much more.  Visit https://www.patreon.com/CreativeRiskPodcast today!Submit your story to Raw & Rising, the mini-series spotlighting hustling creatives—those self-producing, diversifying their income, and tackling challenges head-on. Visit www.artists-strategy.com/creative-risk to pitch your story today. —Thanks for listening!Join our email list for our weekly newsletter with deep insight on our personal artistic journeys: www.artists-strategy.com/signupSubscribe on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creative-risk/id1706381310Subscribe on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5hzvD8HgCjOo1NcA5zBDN4?si=404a2369523a45cbFollow Us on IG: www.instagram.com/creativeriskpod/Follow Us on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@creativeriskpod— “CREATIVE RISK”, is a new podcast hosted by actors Joshua Morgan and Mike Labbadia of Artist’s Strategy where they explore all things art, entrepreneurialism and everything in between. The acting industry is more volatile and competitive than ever before, therefore the artist must evolve in order to take radical ownership over their creative businesses. Each episode, Mike and Joshua will get raw and unfiltered, giving hot takes and cutting edge strategies on how to build a sustainable career in the arts.