Might a pianist career never be satisfying?

[danny elfboy]

I was having this discussion.
Someone told to me he/she doesn't want to pursue a career in piano (talking about a talented pianist here) because in time that would make him/her despise music (playing the same pieces over and over, struggle to find opportunities to perform, hours and hours of practicing) and this person loves music too much to degrade it by making a living out of it.

I have heard similar arguments from orchestra musicians that have for example practiced and performed a piece so many times that they're sick of it and they can enjoy it anymore even if it was their favorite before.

Anyway I didn't disagree with this, it's a personal and individual choice.

But at some point this person told me that

"no concert pianist find his/her career satisfying and all concert pianists would have chosen another career and that no concert pianist ever suggest such career to a young talented student"

This is a very absolutist statement and from my experience both three statements are untrue. In other words there are many concert pianists that still after many years find their career satisfying and LOVE their job and don't regret having chosen it instead of an office job and there are also many concert pianists who love to give suggestion about a pianist career to young and talented student. There are concert pianists that say to young students "This career is hard and not safe, you may have to make compromises and sacrifices but its d a m n worth it, it's the best thing in the world!"

Now I'm neither denying that the person I had this debate with met pianists who are not satisfied with their job and regret not having made different choices and nor I'm denying that this person may indeed end up hating music by making it a career and that he/she loves music too much for allow that to happen.

But I'm denying this absolutist statement for sure.
I believe it's all a matter of perspective, adaptation, individual attitude (and luck too) but I do know there are several concert pianists (and not even speaking world-famous) who DO LOVE their job and just cringe at the thought of making their living with anything other than music. I know pianists who love their careers in spite of lack of money, hard practicing, struggles and sacrifices.

I can be applied to all career.
I was having a similar discussion with a friend theater actor of mine.
The life of a provincial actor it's not easy.
He is always broke, he has no holidays or free sundays.
He has to perform works he doesn't like or doesn't relate to.
He has to travel a lot and is rarely home with his family or friends.
He has to do what he is said to do and has little saying in when and what he does.
He has often to learn his part a couple of days before the show itself because of the lack of respect of the one organizing it all.
He has to perform the same role, say the same things and to the same acting for 3-4 months everyday day!

I asked him "but is it worth it? would you rather have another job?"

And he told to me:

"Yes, it is WORTH it! Sometime when I'm in the stage performing the real thrill, that real sensation of being one with the audience, that sense of exhilerating awareness and focus ... that wonderful feeling just lasts 1 minute. So is such a life of struggles and sacrifices worth just 1 minute of pure heaven? YOU BET!"

What you think? (especially if you're a concert pianist)

[pianistimo]

perhaps it is a matter of stamina.  i felt completely exhausted after my senior recital twenty or so years ago, and had to forget about practicing for several months so i wouldn't have some kind of nervous breakdown.  but, then, others - for whom memory of difficult pieces and the stress of performing is much less - may have considered my recital pieces somewhat of a 'vacation' already.  (not that they were that easy, mind you).

but, over time...for me - many years...you become accustomed to the type of stress you are dealing with.  it's basically yourself.  can you become happy and comfortable with what might totally ruin someone else's mind.  the perfection.  the constant barrage on your emotions.  the neural connections to stay sharp.  the defeats when you have to play on a piano that is not tuned properly. 

as i see it - if you want a concert piano career - LEARN TO TUNE YOUR PIANO with that wrenchie thing so you don't have to deal with a bunch of rotten pianos.  never leave things to chance.  otherwise - your life will be a miserable sob story of notes missed due to a spiteful piano.

and, if you happen to have a patron - life will be much easier.   look at tchaikovsky.  learn.

i am going to have a career, (God willing), soon.  it will be an unpaid career.  perhaps an even unnoticed career.  but, i am stuck on having a career in performing.  even if i start out in retirement homes.  i found one that has a grand piano in almost every quarter.  NICE grand pianos.  the folks seem to enjoy the music (so it seems a double favor - to have a receptive audience).

to me - the audience that you are playing for is of utmost importance to keep happy.  know thy audience.  this is what i have learned from watching andre rieu.  have a wide repertoire.  use it to your advantage.

something else that i think - and that is - piano recitals are unnatural.  playing for hours on end without breaks.  find a singer.  alternate singing and playing.  to me, liszt's idea of the continuous piano recital is for genius level only.  i mean, who can go from a chopin etude to barber's nocturne and not be a little mentally off.  besides, to truly appreciate a  work (piece) you have to surround it with an atmosphere and let the aromas of the after flavors  waft off into the air.  didn't both chopin and barber write vocal works?  i'd alternate a few things of each inbetween piano pieces.  your fingers and mind will get a bit of a rest and then you can give your best shot to the next piece. 

ps  satisfying has different connotations, to me.  one would be 'reality based.'  can you live on the income you make?  the other would be purely mental.  i would be EXTREMELY happy and satified to ONLY be a concert pianist.  it would be a dream come true, imo.   but, to find the time and the money - this is the problem sometimes.  if you teach piano - you are using all your practice time.

[counterpoint]

Many young people are dreaming of a carreer as musician, but how many of them will be famous in reality? The chances are extreme small. Only the best of the best will have real chance, and even then it depends so much on lucky circumstances. So this question is absolutely theoretical.

[danny elfboy]

besides, to truly appreciate a  work (piece) you have to surround it with an atmosphere and let the aromas of the after flavors  waft off into the air.  didn't both chopin and barber write vocal works?  i'd alternate a few things of each inbetween piano pieces.  your fingers and mind will get a bit of a rest and then you can give your best shot to the next piece.

Yes. This lead to the concept of self-promotion and innovation.
Even pianists need to find innovative and individually creative way to promote themselves. Just like other music creators are promoting themselves through myspace, p2p and other means in new different ways concert pianists should be doing the same.

I have been talking with concert pianists indeed who are doing this.
For example they propose something different to the kind of program they provide (so the chosen pieces follow a certain thematic order) or they had performed poems in their performance and when they play a piece it is as a musical description of the poem, or they propose duets or violin and piano, some of them chose particular settings or backgrounds for the performance. Many self promote themselves in teather allowing 60% ot the income to go the teather other again choose to play less known composers while providing detailed information of the work and the discoverty of his music.
The possibilities are infinite but I guess we can't rely any longer on traditional means and ways, if nothing because the strong communications media we have nowadays allow people to be "free" from such traditional constrain and "they" can actively choose among different proposals. It's the job of the artist to be individual, innovative and self promote his/her work and qualities with other means than the traditional ones.

An event like the Masterprize has showed that "when given the chance" people of any age and social class are still interested in music and "classic" music.
But the masterprize removed from itself such vibes of snobbery and haughtiness the accademic music world is oppressed with by also using means like the radio, the television, by allowing the listeners to have a say on what they listen and so on.

What this proves is not that people are not liking this world and just care for other kind of music, people, especially young people have been shown to be very attracted and interested into instrumental live classic music ... they just need to have a chance, it needs to be more accessible and less alienated from them.

The Death Of Classical Music

The rational Of Music

satisfying has different connotations, to me.  one would be 'reality based.'  can you live on the income you make?

 

Well something can be satisfying even if it doesn't pay well.
If the activitity in itself that is or isn't satisfying nor the outcome.
Maybe in Europe is different but I always see people who try to do something they love even if it isn't pay well. Then they change again. And again. Every failure is a chance to reinvent yourself. My aunt started as a dentist but she left it. Her dream was to open a restaurant and she did it. It has been very hard and for years it has been a struggle as she couldn't pay must personal and had to spend 15 hours at the restaurant everyday.
She had to sell the house and go live in a miniapartment. I mean money was not the problem. It shouldn't be. I see many people chasing after their passion even if that means being broke all the time (my friend is an example). I guessed they learned soon that money don't buy happyness and life is worth some risk.
My grandmother had 12 children, a small house and there was poverty and war.
But she made it anyway. They had no shower and would wash 4 by 4 in a big basin.
They couldn't afford much meat or anything else and would eat mostly bread, cereals and fruits. They couldn't affor new clothes and had to pass to their younger siblings.

I'm sometime shocked to listen people worrying or complaining about money when their situation is not even remotely close to the situation certain people have passed through, without dying, without failing ... without making their life less worth living. In fact!
Satisfaction is in spite of money.

[danny elfboy]

Many young people are dreaming of a carreer as musician, but how many of them will be famous in reality? The chances are extreme small. Only the best of the best will have real chance, and even then it depends so much on lucky circumstances. So this question is absolutely theoretical.

Who said being famous is necessary?
We tend to forget that for every Horowitz, Springsteeng, Monet, Denche out there are also smaller less known artists who nonetheless have their audience, their fan and make their art their work. The examples I gave are not world-famous.
My acting actor friend for example works on a national level and its not known outside its native country and even in the country it's not like a "vip". But he is making a living out of acting and the works he performs in make sold out all the time.

So I can't see why "artistic career" must be the same as "being world famous".
There are millions of shades in between "being world famous" and "not having a career"

Then again the question is not so theoretical.
Someone said to me "NO concert pianist like his/her career, ALL concert pianists would have chosen another career, NO concert pianist suggest such a career to a young student"

If you just find ONE pianist who like his/her job you're already disproved such absolutist claims. And it seems (clearly) that being famous and full of money is not a condition necessary to enjoy your artistic work. Passion, as my anecdotal examples showed, is way stronger than the need to buy expensive stuff, live without sacrifices or economical struggles or being on the People cover or the subject of internet forums all the time.

[thalbergmad]

Someone told to me he/she doesn't want to pursue a career in piano (talking about a talented pianist here) because in time that would make him/her despise music (playing the same pieces over and over, struggle to find opportunities to perform, hours and hours of practicing) and this person loves music too much to degrade it by making a living out of it.

Precisely the reason why i am so glad that i decided against a career in music, albeit i probably was not good enough anyway.

For me, there is nothing worse than having to play when you don't want to and having to play the same pieces repeatedly. When creating music becomes a chore, the art goes out of the window

As an amatuer, i can experiment with the forgotten composers, i can practice and perform when and where i wish and if anybody does not like my playing, i can tell them to swivel.

Thal

[danny elfboy]

Precisely the reason why i am so glad that i decided against a career in music, albeit i probably was not good enough anyway.

For me, there is nothing worse than having to play when you don't want to and having to play the same pieces repeatedly. When creating music becomes a chore, the art goes out of the window

As an amatuer, i can experiment with the forgotten composers, i can practice and perform when and where i wish and if anybody does not like my playing, i can tell them to swivel.

But I hope you at least understand "why" other chose to a career in music even if not well paid, so money was never the reason. I understand your point of view and the point of view of the person I was discussing this with but I don't think such personal or subjective point of view can be used to claim that no pianist (including non famous ones but making a living with music) like his/her and ALL would have chosen another career. Because this is not empirically false but seems a bit arrogant too.
Expecting others to understand your choice means also that you must understand other's choices.

[pianistimo]

perhaps the issue is choice.  if you are an artist that is not a world class artist - you will not have as much income or security from either teaching or performing, imo.  you can only charge what the market will bear according to the comparisons people make between you and other teachers in your area.  most teachers know when they are being honest and gouging.  once found out to be gouging - i think that must be an embarrassing situation.  to not be honestly making a living - but living too much in the dream world.

as i see it - to be completely honest is to reevaluate your life (as you say ) every 4-5 years (or 2-3 or whatever) and say 'what can i do to improve my financial stability and situation AND at the same time pursue my dreams and passions?'  for me, it became an issue of combining things that i was already good at.  i already taught piano.  so i took a tutoring class and got a certificate for tutoring young students in reading.  also, i really took several years out to research different methods of reading and found a system that was very in-depth and similar to the MTNA approach to piano lessons.  i tried to make a foundation for a child that would be step-by-step and follow a flow to the highest level (this program had 1-12 levels - and moved from kindergarten to 5th grade reading). 

when i started combining teaching piano with tutoring - i was much happier because it wasn't one thing over and over.  but, several different things.  also, i already knew how to sew - so i made a niche for myself (as you aptly pointed out) and began sewing for people who were hard to fit.  extra tall,  skinny, large, whatever.  and also, a bit of tailoring for people who needed lengthening or shortening of skirts/pants.  this little bit of extra income turned into much more as my name got out to the neighborhood for this.  after a while - i had to turn down work because i was booked for a month at a time.  i alternated piano lessons, tutoring, and sewing.   i would sew at night sometimes from 8pm to 1am.  also, it turned into sewing for weddings (which was profitable, too) and home decor.  was doing chair and couch covers, duvets, etc.  the larger items were more of a profit.  also, they were 'one-of-a-kind.'

now, as you say - you can pursue passions with great flexibility if you are not stuck with a mortgage and location that you must always be at.  also, if you do not have a family.  once you have children - you have responsiblities that also take a huge amount of time.  if you choose not to have a family first - i think that the idea of pursuing ones dreams into the late 30's-90's is certainly reasonable.  quite not so reasonable if you have mouths to feed.  although, there are certain artists who are good at several artistic things.  ie painting, piano, art collecting, or teach several things in music (group keyboard, music history, music theory, conducting) etc.

getting back to the performing side - you bring up some good points.  to self-promote and to learn up-to-date ways of attracting business to yourself.  and, as you mention - to become more and more into your own style.  people know what to expect when they call on you.  to me - this also means improving your musicianship.  there are many varied ways to this - and some completely by chance.  perhaps it is being open to new experiences.

[thalbergmad]

But I hope you at least understand "why" other chose to a career in music even if not well paid, so money was never the reason.

Of course

[pianistimo]

perhaps the biggest 'danger' is that we enjoy music so much that we don't literally count monetary hours - but rather - excellence hours.  in this age - excellence is not as remunerated as it once was.  i still  like to go overtime with some students if they seem to be enjoying what they are doing - and/or we haven't finished with all the of the planned lesson.  i don't look at my watch.  but, i can understand for someone who is literally the sole breadwinner - to make more of a habit to connect with paid hours.

also, for piano soloing - for many years i often played for church at NO fee.  once you do this - you are somewhat expected to continue to do this.  we also played for weddings/funerals for a nominal fee - and went overtime there, too.  you just enjoy doing and do it because you like to.  but, this can be somewhat dillusionary in the cost to cost basis of each thing that you do every day (that costs for you).

pianowelsh or lagin brought up some good points about establishing the regular costs that come at you day to day, month to month, and year to year.  if you can at least break even - you're probably ok with your type of 'dream.'  but, to get a little bit ahead of yourself can't hurt.  taking a class in computers, or real-estate, or debt-resolution or whatever you might have a taste for.  personally, i think the debt-resolution business is going to boom in the next few years.  people want to learn ways to stay out of debt because it costs so much to be in debt.

[Bob]

Having the monster chops, playing lots of music, and actually making a living performing might offset the tedium for me.  I think I could find something new to interest myself if the piece stayed the same for a long time.

I was just thinking about recitals the other day.  The pieces I think, I think I liked more after working on them so much.  The pieces that I liked so-so seemed to stay that way -- and they never got the same kind of attention as the ones I really liked.

[cmg]

I think the operative word for any performance career is "obsession."

In my practice, one of my specialties is peformance anxiety and, being in NYC, I work with many actors and musicians.  Actors, particularly those who land great Broadway gigs, often find themselves in long-running, rather dumb musicals, e.g., "Mama Mia."  Their roles are usually pretty superficial since the material is designed for mass consumption and the tourist trade.  But that's what keeps Broadway afloat.  Well, their primary problem is keeping fluffy material fresh night after night after night and it really takes a toll.  They feel, among other things, that they are "selling out" by working in such commercial properties when they'd rather be doing Tennessee Williams or Shakespeare or Tom Stoppard.  But the big musicals pay the bills for them and they need it.

But, in the long run, it's the obsession with being before an audience and giving pleasure to people that motivates them night after night.  Shakespeare's undeniably great, but it doesn't pay the bills.

With good material, however, it's different for actors.  I live in NYC and one day bumped into -- literally -- Edie Falco of "Sopranos" fame, walking her dog.  She lives down the street from me and I see her often, but I've always respected her right to privacy, so I only smile at her usually when I see her.  However, the night before, I had seen her do a specatular job in the play "'Night, Mother" on Broadway.  I couldn't resist, so I said hello and told her how much I enjoyed her performance.  She lit up like a light bulb.  I asked her what it was like to do this gruelling performance night after night (like playing the Rach3 night after night) and she said, "Oh, I can't WAIT to get to the theater!  This role is so great and rich and it never gets stale for me."

I think that pianists, playing really great literature, respond the same.  I once spent an evening, years ago, with Shura Cherkassky a couple of days before a Schumann Concerto performance.  A piece he's played thousands of times.  I asked him if it ever got tedious or tiresome.  He laughed.  "Shumann Concerto?  Tiresome?  Never!" 

Again, I think it's about obsession.  You shouldn't consider a performance career unless you absolutely can't live without performing.  Period.  The struggle is enormous, the pressures, titanic.  It has to be the most important thing in your life.  Then, the sacrifices are worth it.

When my young, very talented patients start doubting their career choices, I remind them that they must love music or acting so much that there's no room for doubt.  If they worry about money and financial security, I urge them to think twice, then, before committing to a performance career.
 

[danny elfboy]

I think the operative word for any performance career is "obsession."

In my practice, one of my specialties is peformance anxiety and, being in NYC, I work with many actors and musicians.  Actors, particularly those who land great Broadway gigs, often find themselves in long-running, rather dumb musicals, e.g., "Mama Mia."  Their roles are usually pretty superficial since the material is designed for mass consumption and the tourist trade.  But that's what keeps Broadway afloat.  Well, their primary problem is keeping fluffy material fresh night after night after night and it really takes a toll.  They feel, among other things, that they are "selling out" by working in such commercial properties when they'd rather be doing Tennessee Williams or Shakespeare or Tom Stoppard.  But the big musicals pay the bills for them and they need it.

But, in the long run, it's the obsession with being before an audience and giving pleasure to people that motivates them night after night.  Shakespeare's undeniably great, but it doesn't pay the bills.

With good material, however, it's different for actors.  I live in NYC and one day bumped into -- literally -- Edie Falco of "Sopranos" fame, walking her dog.  She lives down the street from me and I see her often, but I've always respected her right to privacy, so I only smile at her usually when I see her.  However, the night before, I had seen her do a specatular job in the play "'Night, Mother" on Broadway.  I couldn't resist, so I said hello and told her how much I enjoyed her performance.  She lit up like a light bulb.  I asked her what it was like to do this gruelling performance night after night (like playing the Rach3 night after night) and she said, "Oh, I can't WAIT to get to the theater!  This role is so great and rich and it never gets stale for me."

I think that pianists, playing really great literature, respond the same.  I once spent an evening, years ago, with Shura Cherkassky a couple of days before a Schumann Concerto performance.  A piece he's played thousands of times.  I asked him if it ever got tedious or tiresome.  He laughed.  "Shumann Concerto?  Tiresome?  Never!" 

Again, I think it's about obsession.  You shouldn't consider a performance career unless you absolutely can't live without performing.  Period.  The struggle is enormous, the pressures, titanic.  It has to be the most important thing in your life.  Then, the sacrifices are worth it.

When my young, very talented patients start doubting their career choices, I remind them that they must love music or acting so much that there's no room for doubt.  If they worry about money and financial security, I urge them to think twice, then, before committing to a performance career.
 

I agree about all of this and yes it related with my experience.
I know a concert pianist who told me that she feel very good when she performs and she finds the feelings of moving her fingers exhilerating. She also said to me that she feel better after playing than before, she don't feel tired and actally feel refreshed.

It's also a matter of attitude to life. I think many people just are bored with life in general. They need new and always stronger stimulus because they can't find anymore the joy in simple things. This may found like not relevant to the post but I'm involved into sports as such as I have to keep me fit. I follow this dietary programs that many overweight or unhealthy people follow. As the months pass as they sticck to the diet they keep repeating how the "side-effects" of their regimend is less apathy, less boredome, they feel most stimulated, more adventurous and find the beauty and enjoyment in things they have never though about as plesant before things like cleansing the house or washing the dish. I'm just saying this to say that many factors are at play and I guess every our fast-paced and unhealthy lifestyle is playing havoc with our attitude.

The broadway player that still find an old role enthusing is someone who has a positive and non-apathetic attitude to life, that see the good about living in small things that keep happening every day.

My only critique with your post is that I would never talk about "obsession"
Obsession has a very negative connotation.
Obsession is also unhealthy and always lead to unhealthy consequence.
But the committed and passional attitude of these individual actually lead them to healthiness and happiness.
It's not obsession, just visceral passion ... and I still believe that "visceral passions" are the only things that make like worth living. And the dangerously amount of depressed people and young people we see nowadays is due to this existence without passions, goals, desires ... just a daily aimless race to survive even if such existence itself makes survival pointless ... more suited (even in its ideology) for feelingless robots, not for complex human beings.

[cmg]

My only critique with your post is that I would never talk about "obsession"
Obsession has a very negative connotation.
Obsession is also unhealthy and always lead to unhealthy consequence.
But the committed and passional attitude of these individual actually lead them to healthiness and happiness.
It's not obsession, just visceral passion ... and I still believe that "visceral passions" are the only things that make like worth living. And the dangerously amount of depressed people and young people we see nowadays is due to this existence without passions, goals, desires ... just a daily aimless race to survive even if such existence itself makes survival pointless ... more suited (even in its ideology) for feelingless robots, not for complex human beings.

Excellent point. Yes. "Obsession" is a clinical term and you describe it accurately.  "Visceral passion" is much more apt.

Often, however, as I watch very talented young people struggle against almost insurmountable odds (which are overwhelming in this most expensive and competitive of cities), I've seen that visceral passion die and turn to suicidal despair.  Those, however, who are truly obsessed with gaining a place in the sun have a preternatural drive to survive ANY setback.  It's rather inhuman, this drive, but these people often succeed.  I then see my job as modifying this obsession into visceral passion for a balanced life.

[thalberg]

I've known many, many, many career pianists.  Most of them make their living teaching, but also perform when they can. 

All of them are brilliant people who could make way more money and work less hours doing something else.  All of them work all the time for pathetic pay because they love music.  They wouldn't consider doing anything else.  Not even an option.  But most of them would tell young talented students to get the hell out of music--just because they could never in good conscience advise another human being to make the same sacrifices they've made.

[ada]

Well I haven't read all the posts so so forgive me if am repetitive or don't address the issues properly.

However I think this situation applies to any career choice, whether it's as an artist, writer or heart surgeon. You fall into something because you have an aptitude for it. Because of this, it becomes pleasing to do, and you do it, more and more. The more you do it the better you become, and you develop a love and a passion for it; for many this becomes a driving and defining obsession.

When we are young a career in this area, that we so love, becomes an object of desire and something to aspire to, and we chase it - we chase it so hard we end up realising it.

Given the right opportunities and enough hard work (plus a little good luck) we wake up one morning and realise we have achieved that goal ... we are a pianist/artist/writer/heart/surgeon.

And then the rot sets in.

We are never good enough. This isn't as much fun as we thought. We are forced to play so much, write so much, carry out so many bypass operations, all on demand, that it no longer becomes rewarding. If we make a living from it we realise that what was once a passion is now a commodity. We risk becoming jaded and cynical and disillusioned. We risk turning into Joyce Hatto.

We walk away from our latest concert, book signing or exhibition opening and think dang, why didn't I become an aid worker?  Or goddam it, I forgot to have kids ....

[danny elfboy]

Well I haven't read all the posts so so forgive me if am repetitive or don't address the issues properly.

However I think this situation applies to any career choice, whether it's as an artist, writer or heart surgeon. You fall into something because you have an aptitude for it. Because of this, it becomes pleasing to do, and you do it, more and more. The more you do it the better you become, and you develop a love and a passion for it; for many this becomes a driving and defining obsession.

When we are young a career in this area, that we so love, becomes an object of desire and something to aspire to, and we chase it - we chase it so hard we end up realising it.

Given the right opportunities and enough hard work (plus a little good luck) we wake up one morning and realise we have achieved that goal ... we are a pianist/artist/writer/heart/surgeon.

And then the rot sets in.

We are never good enough. This isn't as much fun as we thought. We are forced to play so much, write so much, carry out so many bypass operations, all on demand, that it no longer becomes rewarding. If we make a living from it we realise that what was once a passion is now a commodity. We risk becoming jaded and cynical and disillusioned. We risk turning into Joyce Hatto.

We walk away from our latest concert, book signing or exhibition opening and think dang, why didn't I become an aid worker?  Or goddam it, I forgot to have kids ....

Yes you're right, it's a risk of every career ... but it's not a given.
I guess it's important to be honest with yourself.
My aunt chose a dentist career and hated it and eventually fired herself.
But then there are people but are still fascinated the satisfied with such career.
She opened a restaurant from scratch and now is satisfied with her work.
There are people who opened their shop and are very content with their job.
There are teachers that are bad teachers and you can really tell they're frustated with their job and the pupils and teachers that trasude passion from every pore even after many years of teaching. There are wood-rangers that are satisfied with their work, photographers, cooks, writers, trainers, plumbers even farmers.

I think it's more an attitude and honesty with yourself.
That's why I always suggest to follow the hard path as long as that's what you want and not sacrificing it in order to follow the easy path. Yes some may believe they want a comfy life but sooner or later will realize that no amount of money or fame can make them comfy and satisfied if they're involved with something they don't like and can't stand any longer day after day, especially if they spent years and money specializing for that task.

The point of the thread was that in whatever job there are satisfied workers and frustated workers that would be elsewhere and regret having chosen another path.

The person I discussed this with basically told me that many regret not having chosen a career that allow you to make money and work less.
I don't absolutely believe so !!!
In fact in my experience what many regret is having chosen a career that allow you to have money and work less but that killed your passion and your desire to be involved with that job/tasks.

The same person told me that piano-playing is probably the only career where no one is satisfied because everyone would be rather doing something else.
No need to comment this one as I and many others here know pianists that ever after decades of professional piano performances with all the compromises, sacrifices and tough days still love this career and would never change it for anything else.

[tds]

Well I haven't read all the posts so so forgive me if am repetitive or don't address the issues properly.

i am also in the same boat here. so, sorry if i dont make sense.

my humble opinion:

like in any career, i believe satisfaction is majorly an inside job- it has alot to do with acceptancing conditions. when you do, you will start encountering synchronization in your life, all in your favour. tds