Is Instructional Design Overrated?

If you’re serious about building a fulfilling instructional design career in 2025, check out my full guide to becoming an instructional designer in 2025 and grab a copy of the free roadmap 👉    • How to Become an Instructional Designer in...  

Is instructional design truly fulfilling, or are you just trading one stressful job for another?

In this video, I explore the real rewards and challenges of becoming an instructional designer — especially if you’re coming from teaching or another people-focused career.

Leaving the classroom can feel like giving up those powerful “aha” moments, but instructional design has its own rewards: reach, creativity, flexibility, and career growth.

In this video, I’ll share how ID can be both fulfilling and frustrating, and how you can shape your career so it works for you.

I’ll cover what kind of impact you can have in instructional design compared to teaching, and why that difference matters.

You’ll see how reach, flexibility, and growth opportunities can make this career more rewarding over time.

I’ll also share the common challenges you might face as an instructional designer — and how to avoid falling into unfulfilling roles.

#InstructionalDesign #eLearning

Using the affiliate links below will help support me and the content on this channel:

**Best AI Tools for Instructional Designers**
Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/?via=devlin
WellSaid Labs: https://www.wellsaidlabs.com/?via=devlin
Descript: https://www.descript.com/?lmref=jJTSTA
Jasper: https://jasper.ai/?fpr=devlin44
Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaig...

**Best Laptops for Instructional Designers**
Dell XPS 13: https://amz.run/6l1w
16-inch MacBook Pro: https://amz.run/6l1y
Gigabyte Aero 17: https://amz.run/6l26

**Best Books for Instructional Designers**
The Non-Designer’s Design Book: https://amzn.to/3kP0reO
Map It: https://amzn.to/3f137mR
eLearning and the Science of Instruction: https://amzn.to/3kNuBiF
Design For How People Learn: https://amzn.to/3CLtrNM
Michael Allen’s Guide to eLearning: https://amzn.to/31ZUbJB

00:00 Impact: Helping People Do Their Jobs Better
02:20 Reach: Scaling Learning to Thousands (or Millions)
03:16 Creativity: Designing Meaningful Learning Experiences
04:18 Flexibility: Remote Work, Balance, & Freelance Options
05:37 Growth: Career Paths & Opportunities Beyond ID
08:04 Potential Challenges: Content Farms, Tight Deadlines, SME Hurdles
11:10 My Experience: From Teaching to Freelance to Academy
14:55 Next Steps: Your Roadmap to Becoming an ID in 2025