Life in the creative world is rarely a smooth ride. One day you’re celebrating a win, the next you’re staring down a missed opportunity, a tough rejection, or wondering why the goals you set still feel so far away. If you’ve ever found yourself in that space—disappointed, unsure, and maybe even a bit alone—you’re not the only one.

This particular question came from someone juggling a lot: professional setbacks, a sense of emotional distance from close friends, and a quiet fear around discussing a potential career change with their partner—all while navigating big decisions like buying a home. It’s a mix many of us know all too well: the tension between personal fulfilment and practical responsibility.

To unpack it all, we turned to two generous voices:
Tara Hurster, psychologist and founder of The TARA Clinic, who specialises in helping high-performing people navigate life transitions and tough conversations, and Sarah Gross, Creative Director and Partner at Storyfolk, who brings a deeply human take on creative careers and personal growth. The session was hosted by Andy Wright, founder of Never Not Creative and CEO of Streamtime.

The problem is the problem—not you

Tara starts by flipping the script on how we usually view failure:
"The person is not the problem, the problem is the problem."

That’s a big shift. It means you’re not flawed or incapable just because something didn’t work out. Maybe it was the wrong fit, the wrong time, or not enough information at the start. Maybe your goals weren’t as clear or realistic as they needed to be.

"You are not being rejected," she says, "it’s just this situation—you just weren’t the right candidate." There’s power in seeing a setback not as a verdict on your worth, but as feedback from the world around you.

Tara also points out the importance of how we set goals:
"If you don't set SMART goals, it's really hard to achieve them."
(SMART = specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, time-bound.) Without a clear target, it’s easy to feel like you’re missing the mark—even when you’re actually making progress.

Talking about change with your partner doesn’t have to be scary

It’s one of the hardest things to do: bring up a big, scary idea with someone you love, especially when it might affect your shared future. Tara offers a kind, clear perspective here:
"It’s so important for us to feel safe to share all parts of our life with our partner."

She also reminds us that fear often fills in the gaps with worst-case scenarios:
"Sometimes what we think they will respond like is actually completely opposite to the way that they will respond." In other words, have the conversation—you might be surprised.

Sarah shared a small but brilliant trick she used with her partner during their own home-buying journey. They created a code word—"pineapple juice"—to help signal when a conversation was getting a little heated or heading off-course. It gave them both a chance to pause, breathe, and come back to the bigger picture together.

"Partners are there for the wins, but also when you're feeling deflated," she says. Your relationship should be a space where you can show up fully—messy bits and all.

Take a breath before locking yourself into a big decision

Buying a house is exciting—but it can also become a trap if you're not careful. Tara gently challenges the idea of staying in a job just to meet a financial milestone:
"If the only reason you're thinking about staying in a job is because you want to buy a house... that means that when you buy that house you're going to be anchored down."

She encourages hitting pause before rushing forward. Ask yourself: Will this decision give me more freedom, or will it limit it? Does the work I’m doing to afford this goal actually make me feel alive?

Her advice:
"Just breathe for a minute. Just pause on the house buying."
Sometimes slowing down is the most productive thing you can do.

Your “failures” might be pointing you in the right direction

Sarah knows what it’s like to look back and see how things that felt like failures at the time were actually quiet redirections.
"If I didn’t take a gap year and sell mattresses, I wouldn’t have ended up in design," she says. Those seemingly odd turns, missteps, or “wrong” choices? They often carry the clues that lead us to something better.

What looked like a misfire in the moment might have been the plot twist you didn’t know you needed.

There’s a better way to have hard conversations

Big conversations don’t have to be confrontational. In fact, they work better when they’re not. The Never Not Creative community has resources that offer tips for approaching tough chats with empathy and clarity—especially when you’re feeling raw or vulnerable.

As Andy puts it:
"It should always be about 'I feel this way' or 'I noticed that might be different for you'... not 'you don’t support me.'"
Lead with your experience, not accusations. It opens up space for real listening, not defensiveness.

Keep going, gently

Failure, rejection, and unmet goals aren’t detours—they’re part of the road. What matters is how you frame them, how you talk about them, and what you choose to do next.

You’re allowed to want change. You’re allowed to ask for more from your work, your relationships, and yourself. And you’re absolutely allowed to press pause on any decision that doesn’t feel aligned with who you’re becoming.

You don’t have to navigate it all perfectly. You just have to keep checking in with what’s true for you. And remember: the right people will meet you there.

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