The “tortured artist” trope is overplayed in media vs. the reality. I don’t have the sources on hand, but you might enjoy looking into it: truly prolific and in

The “tortured artist” trope is overplayed in media vs. the reality. I don’t have the sources on hand, but you might enjoy looking into it: truly prolific and influential artists tend to be those who had stable/comfortable/long enough lives to sustain an art practice. One good book related to this is Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. I also highly recommend the book Six Myths About the Good Life by Joel Kupperman, which has an accessible explanation of some of the philosophy behind the pursuit of “happiness” vs deeper long-term joy. It’s a book I find myself revisiting every few years because it really makes you think. Edit: Kupperman’s book specifically analyzes the common assumption you mentioned that “the key is to lower your standards.” …”Better Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied” is a common related saying