For a very long time I have been trying to find a place to fit in the professional world. I’m 34, and as I’m writing this I’m still looking. But as my idealism has slowly faded with age, I’ve begun to put more emphasis on the how rather than the what. It’s not so much about what you do anymore that counts, it’s how it’s done.
As I’m closing in on my graduation and I look at the smorgasbord of professions and fields available for a designer, finding the right one is like trying to hit a piñata blindfolded. It’s exciting and a bit scary at the same time. I’m quickly approaching an age-threshold in my quest for a career. Some might argue I’m far beyond. I know this. But I try to keep an open mind.
I have to be very honest here. I’ve struggled for a very long time with my inability to find a career. I’m in my mid 30’s and I still don’t know. As I’m becoming more comfortable with the thought of never knowing, wether that’s a good or a bad thing I don’t know.
The challenge with a degree as universal as design is that it becomes that bit more challenging to choose your plate if the cuisine is unfamiliar.
A while back I wrote the OP rant about how I was completely fed up with design. I had hit a wall in my studies and the mountain ahead that was my thesis seemed an impossible crux. I found myself in a familiar place where I just wanted to give up, right at the final stretch. Education had slowly revealed to me what design was about, and I didn’t like it at all.
After a bit of meditation and time off I realized a few things:
I think a good education is supposed to challenge your conviction, seriously. It’s important to go through deep dips in order to reflect effectively and grow. Otherwise we’ll just end up mediocre amateurs.
Whichever way you end up going, well almost, you can become an expert at your field. If your working environment is supportive and engaging, you have the opportunity to dig through many the many levels of your field that you simply can’t see from a distance. As that happens you realize that what seemed mundane for afar might reveal something very interesting up close. The challenge is to look. The deeper you go, the more interesting it becomes. This is what I mean about “how”, the environment has to be right.
Feed your curiosity, and hopefully one day it will end up feeding itself.
Be humble. Humility, in my opinion, is becoming a rare virtue these days. Especially in creative fields where flamboyant egos reign. Work with people that are more talented than you. It’s the most effective way to progress. Remember your motives and be honest. What was the original, maybe completely naive thing that got you interested in the first place? In my case, it was the curiosity of how things worked, how materials were manipulated and processed to make something and how they were then assembled into something. It’s really that simple. Remember this as it will help to keep you in the right track.
Be mindful of your interpretation of other peoples opinions. I’ve realized I’m nothing what you read about the designers on blogs or magazines or books. I’ve realized I’m not a super creative designer inventor. I hate trying to come up with ideas. While some people thrive on a blank canvas, I hate it because I simply suck at ideating. It’s these fantastic inventors that usually end up in the headlines, and for a good reason. Reading these fantastic stories I, quite falsely, became to believe that was what a designer was supposed to do and in all honesty, it felt intimidating and completely unnatural to me and almost made quit. These people we read about and adore, however only represent a minority of designers.
Feel free to compile this into a motivational seascape poster if you want, but know that was never my intention. This is just to say dang if it doesn’t feel good to be in better touch of your identity. Whatever it is.
And thank you all for the replies and support! Sorry for not replying earlier. I was off duty.
Keep on keepin’ on.
-OP