The reward for good projects are more projects.

Some people are willing to pay you for projects that you may not enjoy doing.

There are two types of projects:

Dead ends are projects that you don’t enjoy, and don’t lead you to an outcome you want. You can figure this out by looking at people who are more experienced than you. Would you want to spend your time on the projects your boss is working on, or her boss’s projects? 

The main reason to do a dead end project is because it provides you with resources to sustain your physical, mental, and financial health.

Gateways are projects that you enjoy doing. They create opportunities for you to develop your skills. They are the ticket of admission to doing more similar projects, and even better projects you haven’t discovered yet.

The main reason to do a gateway is atelic: it makes you feel alive. You enjoy them so much that you’d pay to do them—by buying equipment, paying for classes, etc.

You can treat your projects like a portfolio, and look for ways to make and promote more gateway projects, while keeping dead end projects to a minimum. 

Don’t treat a dead end project like a gateway, and don’t treat a gateway project like a dead end. Keep the expectations separate and clear.

Occasionally, you can squeeze a gateway out of a dead end project—but more often than not, this task is futile. For example, a client project does not always need your personal creative inclinations. Better to spend the energy separately, on a gateway project that you’re in control of.