We spend so much time talking about the spaces we design. Maybe it's time we made a little more space for the people designing them.
The Future of Architecture is You.
On burnout and the parts of a creative career we don't talk about enough.
There's no shortage of resources available to architects and designers. You can find a tutorial for just about anything. How to master Revit, how to create the perfect rendering, how to build a portfolio, prepare for an interview, or navigate the technical side of the profession. And those resources are incredibly valuable. But what about everything else?
What about the person who spent years earning a degree, finally landed the job they worked so hard for, and is now wondering if this is really what they want to do? What about the designer who feels completely uninspired but doesn't know how to explain why? Or the architect who's accomplished everything they thought they were supposed to, only to find themselves asking, What's next?
Where do those conversations happen?
The things we don't say out loud
Over the past several months, I've had people reach out to me after reading some of my previous posts. Different people, with different experiences, at different stages of their careers. But so many of their messages share a similar sentiment:
I thought I was the only one who felt this way.
Some are experiencing burnout. Others feel stuck, uncertain about their career path, or disconnected from the work they once loved. Some are questioning whether they want to continue down the path they've spent years pursuing. And many are simply trying to figure out what comes next.
What strikes me most isn't that people are experiencing these feelings. It's how often they seem surprised to discover that someone else is, too. Because somewhere along the way, we've created an industry where talking about our accomplishments comes naturally, but talking about our uncertainty feels uncomfortable. We're encouraged to share the projects we're proud of, the awards we've won, the promotions we've earned, and the milestones we've reached. But there's significantly less room for conversations about what happens when those things stop feeling fulfilling.
Or when the career you imagined for yourself looks different from the one you're actually living.
You can love design and question your place in it
I think one of the most difficult things to reconcile in a creative career is the idea that questioning your direction somehow means you've lost your passion.
As if loving architecture means you should always want to practice it in the same way. As if earning a degree commits you to a single professional identity for the rest of your life. As if changing your mind means the years you've invested were somehow wasted.
But careers aren't that linear, and people aren't that one-dimensional.
I know this because my own career has taken a direction I never necessarily anticipated when I first pursued architecture. While my education and experience are rooted in design, I've found my strengths and passion in branding, storytelling, strategy, and the business of architecture.
And the interesting thing is, I don't see that as stepping away from architecture. I see it as finding another way to contribute to it.
Everything I learned through my education and experience in design continues to shape how I approach my work today. The ability to think critically, communicate ideas, understand the built environment, solve complex problems, and see the bigger picture are skills I carry with me every day. They've become the foundation for a career that allows me to bring together my understanding of design with my love for creativity, communication, and connecting people.
That's something I wish we talked about more.
You can love design and not want to spend your career producing drawings. You can be passionate about the built environment and find fulfillment in storytelling, strategy, business development, research, or something entirely different. You can appreciate your education without feeling obligated to follow the exact path it was designed to prepare you for.
Changing direction doesn't mean abandoning everything you've worked for. Sometimes it means discovering where your experiences, interests, and strengths intersect.
If anything, I think we need to expand our understanding of what a career in this industry can look like. Because there's a difference between following the path you originally envisioned and discovering one that feels uniquely your own.
When success doesn't feel the way you expected
There's another conversation I think we need to have more often. What happens when you get where you thought you wanted to go, and it doesn't feel the way you imagined?
Maybe you've earned the degree, found the dream firm, worked on monumental projects, taken on more responsibility, and built a career that looks successful from the outside. And yet, something feels off. It's a difficult feeling to articulate, especially when there's no obvious reason to be unhappy. You might even feel guilty questioning it, but fulfillment isn't something you automatically receive when you reach a certain title, salary, or professional milestone. And ambition doesn't always disappear when you feel burned out. Sometimes it's still there, underneath the exhaustion, waiting for something that feels meaningful again.
I think that's where many of us find ourselves at some point. Not necessarily wanting to abandon everything we've built, but wondering whether there's another way to build upon it.
Maybe we need more honesty, not more advice
We live in a world where everyone seems to have an answer. Five ways to avoid burnout, three steps to finding your purpose, how to build the perfect career. And while advice has its place, I don't think every difficult season needs to be turned into a lesson or a list of solutions.
Sometimes, what someone needs most isn't another person telling them what to do, but hearing someone say, I've felt that way, too. That's a huge reason of why I started EmbArc.
EmbArc isn’t another resource for technical instruction or professional perfection. There are plenty of talented people creating those resources, and they're doing amazing work. I wanted to create something different.
A space for the conversations that happen after the workday ends. The questions we quietly ask ourselves on the drive home. The uncertainty that doesn't make it into our portfolios or LinkedIn announcements. The human side of a profession that asks so much of the people who choose it.
Because behind every impressive project, every beautiful rendering, and every successful firm are people trying to navigate their own expectations, ambitions, and lives. And sometimes those people are tired. Sometimes they're uncertain or questioning everything. That deserves space, too.
For anyone figuring it out
If there's one thing I've learned from the conversations this blog has started, it's that so many of us are navigating similarly, even when our circumstances look completely different.
Some of us are just beginning our careers. Others have spent a decade or more building them. Some are considering a change. Others don't even know what they would change if they could. And some are simply trying to find a little excitement in the work again.
I don't think there's a universal answer to any of it. But I do think there's value in talking about it openly. In questioning the expectations we've inherited, recognizing that professional growth isn't always about moving upward, and that changing direction doesn't necessarily mean starting over. Most importantly, in understanding that feeling lost doesn't make you any less capable, talented, or deserving of the career you're trying to build.
I've been quieter here over the past couple of months. Partly because life gets busy, but also because I've been doing some reflecting of my own. And coming back to this space reminds me why I wanted to create it in the first place. Not because I have everything figured out, but because I don't think we should have to pretend that we do.
So if you've ever questioned your direction, struggled to find your motivation, or wondered whether you're the only person who feels this way, I hope you find something familiar here.
We spend so much time talking about the spaces we design. Maybe it's time we made a little more space for the people designing them.
That's the conversation I want EmbArc to keep having.
The Future of Architecture Is You.
Explore EmbArc for honest conversations, fresh perspectives, and real experiences navigating architecture, design, career growth, and everything in between. A space for those finding their way, questioning what's next, and redefining what success looks like along the way.
