They say life isn’t about the things that happen to you, but about the decisions you make. There’s a ton of coverage about the best decisions people have made, but not nearly enough conversation about the tough decisions. We asked folks we admire to tell us about the most difficult decision they’ve ever had to make and have shared some of those responses below.

Marianna Fiorin | Architect and Interior Designer

To leave Italy, my country, to follow my dreams. I didn’t know what I would have found here, I just left. And beside I was excited, I was also scared by the idea of leaving my family and friends. Still now there are moments when I miss them a lot, but I know I made the right choice, I can help them by being here, and they are also proud of me. Read more>>

Akono Dixon | Actor

The most difficult deiciion I’ve ever made was when I chose to be “successful”. It was difficult because I finally accepted to only focus on the things that gave me immense joy and contributed to my greater well being. Some of the things that were distractions were familiar habits that felt like “home” to me.. Those habits lived with me for years and to be able to finally give those up were bittersweet, but I knew it was time to let them go so that I could finally walk into the success, love, prosperity, and abundance that has always been my birth right. Read more>>

Jen Sall | Filmmaker + Producer

In terms of my career, breaking free of imposter syndrome fully embracing what I wanted to do and knowing in my heart I was capable of achieving it. Read more>>

Tim de La Motte | Actor, Comedian, Bicycler

Taking a leap from living and working in Chicago to where I know I needed to be, Los Angeles. I left behind friends and lmoved even farther from my home in New Jersey but I knew I had to be here to achieve my goals. Read more>>

Eddy Segal | Artist

One of the most difficult decisions I’ve made on my path as an artist has been to chart my own course. I did not go to art school, I studied Anthropology because I found it fascinating. I worked in a gallery and at Condé Nast in my early 20s but drifted away from those established worlds and ended up assisting my mentor, C. Finley, in creating the Every Woman Biennial. No MFA program could have taught me more than organizing multiple shows with hundreds of other inspiring artists. Seek the education that *really* feeds not only your practice but your soul, whether it’s from tradespeople, your creative peers, spiritual teachers, or a traditional college course. Don’t get hung up on the pieces of paper saying what you know, because those papers are mattering less and less. Also, as a creative our income is always variable. Be comfortable with that and save whenever you can. Read more>>

Tom Vicini | Artist, Actor, Musician

Being realistic about my talents and ability. I attempted to create certain styles of art for new clients that I was out of my range. That might seam like a good thing as if I was trying to stretch my abilities but not during a paying job. You can’t pretend you can do something when you are ill equipped or untraied. There was a time during a stunt job where I checked the box that asked if I was qualified to ride a snowmobile. I wanted the gig so bad, I lied and said I was good at it when in reality, I never drove one in my life. At the gig they soon saw that I was a novice and they the stunt coordinators and production had to deal with my incompetency. That sort of thing on a film set is very tie consuming for the crew and dangerous considering there are lives at stake and I could have injured someone or myself in the process.. So never lie or say you can do something for the sake of the gig. Read more>>

Felipe Mucci | Writer & Director

I was leaving my family behind to pursue my dream. I moved to Los Angeles from Brazil in 2012 and I left everybody back home. It was a decision that I’m grateful I made, but definitely a hard one. Not being able to be close to family in important moments of their lives takes a toll. Thankfully now a days it’s a lot easier to communicate and stay somewhat close, but it is still not easy. Read more>>

Jude Salazar | Actress & Activist

To leave my hometown of Chicago and move to Los Angeles where I had no family and friends. I had always wanted to live in California and then the right opportunity presented itself so I went for it. I moved out here after graduating law school and had every intention of pursuing Entertainment Law. I got here and immediately found a job as a paralegal, I ended up hating the law field. I had just invested three years of my life in a field I didn’t fully love. In the midst of all of that I started acting more and more. I decided that law wasn’t what I loved, it wasn’t where my passion really was so I kept at it with my art instead. Here I am 5 years later, turning the most difficult decision I ever made into the best decision I ever made. Read more>>

Pratya Jankong | Photographer

Coming to New York, it was the most difficult decision in my life… You might wonder why!? Long story short, I had pretty good job, full-time photographer for one of the biggest publisher in Thailand, Amarin New Media https://amarin.co.th/en/. having pretty good life and future there and I needed to leave it all behind to pursue something, might be a dream in New York. Read more>>

Katrina Spencer | Dancer & Actress

The most difficult decision I have ever had to make was to move away from home. I am a small town girl from Pennsylvania, however, being a dancer and actress, I knew Los Angeles was where the industry is and where I would find the most opportunity. Growing up, I was set on going to Point Park University, which is two hours from my hometown. They have one of the top dance programs, and it was close to home where I could still be around a lot of the time. I was accepted into the dance program summer before my junior year, and accepted academically fall of my senior year. Everything in my life was falling into place just how I wanted. My senior year, my dance teacher took me to LA for a dance intensive and insisted I tour this college called Relativity School at the time, a private arts school on a production lot. I said okay, but in my head, going in, I told myself it would not change anything. I was so wrong about that though, I left that college tour sobbing, because I had thought my life was already going according to plan. Read more>>