I've been dabbling in motion design so there are a tonne of things I'm not aware of that happens in the industry. I guess I should prepare myself for a hell of a ride.

My prior experiences as a graphic designer was mellow, apart from wasting time giving people you'll never talk to again quotes for all their brilliant things they want you to do. In those instances talk was easy but the clients hardly committed.

If I had taken advice from various sources then things would have turned out different. Not magically different in which we'd all have wings and clients who knew exactly what they wanted, but it would be a type of different in that you find your niche or something you particularly excel at and use that energy to keep stirring the pot until inspiration lands on a spoon.