The nice thing about FF14 is that you can pick up a new class whenever you want. Gladiator and paladin are tank classes responsible for managing enmity, positioning, damage mitigation, and general leadership. Maybe you'd be more interested in monk or dragoon, they are melee classes that focus on positions and more complex rotations. Melee dps enjoys shorter queue times than ranged dps as well.

At the same, don't give up gladiator if it's a class you want to learn to play. There are plenty of fun, helpful people in the community. Find someone you like playing with that will help you through the initial learning curve.