3 Thoughts on Being a Better Creative
Another entrant into the “Stories for designers” series. I’m recounting a few of the things I feel make me a better and happier creative. These are pretty universal as I usually find the stuff that works has applications across many disciplines. I’m defining “better” as ‘more good’ than you were previously. Not only being more skilled in your craft but also more open and more aware of it. That is how I'm choosing to define that elusive term.
Override your insecurities and create better work
In my first job as a young designer I would sometimes become intimidated by the talents of other designers. I was doing my best, yet when a new freelancer started (as an example) with great ideas and more experience I would freak out a little bit inside. I was worried about being shown up; made to feel like a lesser designer. This fear got in the way of doing good work and made the process of working with others harder. It wasn’t that I didn’t like this other designer, it was my inner insecurity and fear of not being good enough seriously getting in the way. I was competing with others instead of competing with myself.
All the while trying to develop and execute ideas, my mind was focused on making sure that I was pulling own weight on a given project and let’s be honest I really wanted to be doing the most work and dreaming up the best ideas because that was the thing that would stop me feeling so anxious).
That attitude fucking sucked. I don't do that any more and haven't for a long while. It’s a natural feeling to experience I think; it makes total sense that creatives feel insecurities and compare themselves to others, especially when young. That feeling got in the way of doing a good job. It made collaborating awkward and disjointed. It wasted energy on worrying that could’ve been used on creating and together this prevented me from learning and improving. I’m pleased to say that after a few months I moved past that awkward phrase and came to work with this designer across a few jobs.
How did I get over my insecurities? Honestly it happened quite gradually. I was aware of the feeling and knew (I decided) it wasn't how I wanted to be. I realised the cost to me in terms of happiness and creative output, and I realised that I had more to gain by embracing others rather than fighting them. A few months back I had one of the sudden realisations and in my head I was like: woah, I actually haven't felt insecurity like that for years.
Takeaway: Don’t compete with others; compete with yourself.
Challenge yourself
I’ve been doing personal challenges for a few years now. I think of a challenge as an opportunity to ask more of yourself than normal for a short period of time, or a chance to try out a different version of yourself; a version with different ideals and habits. As a short term measure it’s possible to extend yourself to try out a different version of yourself.
I once tried to have a cold shower each morning for a week. I didn’t quite manage it, but it was an experience and quite a lot of fun (in a weird way). As interesting as that was it wasn’t my kind of thing. But the process of attempting the challenge was vert thrilling.
It’s difficult to introduce changes into life when things are settled. The expectations of how things are, the habits and routines that exist make it hard to add new things. Unless you suddenly move house, job or somebody becomes pregnant where all expectations are suddenly reset. For myself I’ve found that framing new ideas as challenges works well and helps me push ahead with what I want despite how settled my life is.
Challenge: Create a piece of daily typographic artwork for 36 days.
Challenge: Go a month spending only on bills, petrol and food.
Challenge: Write each day for an hour in the month of August.
Challenge: Make something cool for the next 365 days.
You get the idea. It could be anything. Could be for a week, a month or longer. If you want to become a better creative then challenge yourself to do so. Complete a doodle a day. Or create a piece of artwork as a gift for a friend each week of February or a thousand other ideas. Each time you begin a challenge there’s an expectation to complete it or be forced to admit defeat. Nobody wants that right?
You can also tie challenges into identity. Don’t you want to be the kind of person who completes their challenges? Aren’t you the kind of person who comes up with 5 cool ideas before breakfast each day? From experience my talent as a designer and my skill set has improved as a result of challenges. They created a structure where I could excel myself and disrupt my normal routines.
Takeaway: Short challenges help you break out of routine giving you a chance to learn something new or improve an existing skill.
Create for fun
This point reminds me of an idea I encountered a while back.
Q:How do you make someone hate what they love to do?
A: Pay them to do it.
You could switch love with anything (like design for example) and I think the result is the same. If your passion or art becomes your full time employment then you will encounter conflicts that don’t exist if you’re making things purely out of pleasure. I’ve long had this interest in making things for fun in my spare time. Creating for the sake of creating. I’ve preferred making for myself over freelancing for quite some time.
I used to approach projects to teach me software or explore a new design discipline and that was always fun and satisfying. I did this partly for self promotional reasons; to teach myself new things, create promo projects and I know that doing so did give me opportunities for freelance and jobs I wouldn't have otherwise had. This creation continued into my first job but over the next two years I gradually made less and less stuff and it was kind of sad.
Back in the present, I’m about 80% the way through a 365 day design project. Making for fun gives me the biggest excitement. I look forward to it and love thinking ahead to what I could create or learn. I love saving things I see to inspire me later on in my challenge.
Huge 365 day projects aren’t for everyone. But creating regularly helps you learn and improve. It’s like turbo for your creativity. The more creativity you use, the more you have. If you’re feeling that you’ve become fatigued, unhappy or fed up with your job; make something for fun. If nothing else it will give you a valuable perspective on what you're doing and just might help you stay sane.
Takeaway: Creating purely for fun is an outlet; it's an escape from your current routine and a kickstart for creativity.
Signing off
There are probably dozens of little tips you could apply to be a better creative, but I selected three that I feel are more about mindset and bigger changes than simple ‘hacks’. As a visual designer and illustrator, challenging myself, creating for fun and getting over my ego have done a lot to make me into what I am today, so that is what I have to share.
I hope you found something useful and that you're having a good week!
Peace!
