Some (Quick) Advice
When I was first starting off as a graphic designer, there was a lot of what I would call noise. Both internally and externally, it was so hard to choose a wise path forward. I had so many ideas of my own that I actually developed a sense of decision paralysis and opted- for some time- to do nothing. On the external front, many people were telling me what to do, but the problem was that everything seemed to contradict. In the highly subjective field of design, few people should ever claim to be experts.
I know how challenging it is to discover who you are as a professional, entrepreneur, and graphic designer. My biggest piece of advice: this is your journey, build it to your style and liking.
Now of course, we are wise to learn from those who go before us. There is so much benefit to seeking counsel and devoting ourselves to lifelong learning. Nevertheless, this isn’t something that will be handed to you. You have to want it, and you have to aggressively pursue it!
I would be lying if I said that building your own career is easy, but if I can do it, you can too.
When I chose to do nothing for what felt like years, I could have been pushing past the frustration. Though I eventually figured it out, those wasted hours will never be regained. If you shed the worry and just dive in, it will be extremely challenging, but also rewarding. Instead of waiting for the best path to open up, forge your own way. In waiting for the perfect opportunity, we run the risk of missing many great opportunities along the way. The best thing we can do is to pick something, and do that to the best of our ability.
Life is a series of choices for good or bad, and these choices will carry you into the future. My advice: envision the future you most desire to have and then make choices accordingly.
Nobody can do it for you, but whatever I can do to point you in the right direction, that is my aim.
