People, Not Projects
I’ve been working as a professional designer for just about ten years now. As in, that’s been my primary method of keeping a roof over my head and food on the table. To some that might sound like a long time, but to many more that still makes me a rookie. In my own skin, I’m usually inclined more towards the latter. I still feel like I’m just getting started, just settling into my groove. I’m still learning, still evolving every day. That’s a big part of why I love my job so much, and I why I haven’t burnt out on it.
Maybe it’s because I still feel like I’m new at this, but it seems strange to me that people would look to me for advice, or somehow believe that I’ve earned my place at the grownups’ table. I’m the farthest thing from a guru on top of a mountain. I’m still just trying to figure out how to climb. But more and more, I think of an old friend who would repeat, “It’s not the age, it’s the mileage.”
When I stop to look back over the past ten years, I realize that I’ve traveled some distance, and I’ve got the scars to prove it.
This year, I had to take a medical leave, undergoing surgery for Ulcerative Colitis and what turned out to be Colon Cancer. Without going too deeply into it, it’s been an incredibly challenging battle, and while I’m not completely out of the woods yet, there is currently no sign that the cancer has spread. I’m extremely lucky.
It was a surreal experience. Beforehand, I was living a pretty great life — celebrating a wonderful first year of marriage, and I was happy with my place in my career and the direction I was heading. I was working out six days a week, and I felt fit, healthy and strong. Suddenly, it all screeched to a halt, as I had a head-on collision with my own mortality.
As you can imagine, my forced hiatus left me with a lot of time for self-reflection, and when you’re facing something like that, you naturally take stock of what you’ve done with your life and where you’ve come to. I’m happy to say that overall, I’m satisfied with the path I’ve taken and the choices I’ve made. I have no regrets. Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m ready to tap out, because like I said, I’m just getting started.
While I was in the hospital, I couldn’t help but think of Linds Redding’s scathing sendup of the advertising industry that made the rounds a few years ago. He was also battling cancer, and unfortunately his prognosis wasn’t as good as mine. I didn’t know the man, but like Redding, I suddenly found myself fighting for my life, and now felt very detached from the day-to-day patterns that formed my world before.
Also while in the hospital, I happened to read another article (that shall remain unnamed) about the general pessimism of the ad industry. The picture was dire, a mournful bitch-fest, with quotes from people at big-name agencies, bemoaning the politics, long hours, big egos, and unreasonable clients, making our little world out to be an orgy of despair.
Yeah, it was really that bad.
Though I’ve certainly experienced all of the ups and downs of the job, I didn’t feel the same way at all. Here I was, in the hospital, literally fighting for my life, but I missed my work. I missed the folks from the office. I was struck by the vitriol of those words, but also struck by my inability to relate. Why was I so happy while so many others were so miserable in the same trade? I just had my guts cut out, and these people were whining about feedback cycles.
It’s very easy for designers to be caught up in chasing big-name clients — after all, it’s all about your portfolio right? Nothing adds credibility to one’s resume like the stamp of a Swoosh, an Apple, etc. It’s a badge that says that you’re legit, you can play with the big kids. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve played that game too, and yes, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some of the biggest brands in the world.
That said, chasing brands has never been my focus, and my advice to designers everywhere is that it shouldn’t be yours either. I’ve always looked to work with good people first and foremost, and I’ve found that the best projects in my portfolio are from when I was working with a good team with a shared vision, regardless of the brand.
Sure, being a designer isn’t easy. You pour your heart and soul into a project, work long hours, only to have it beaten up by umpteen stakeholders, and when it finally gets released into the world, no one gives a shit about who designed it. For every logo redesign or OS update that is burned at the stake of public opinion, there was a human being who bled for that. Even worse, outside of our little myopic world, the average joe has no interest in who designs the website they buy their widgets from. In the scheme of things, the designer doesn’t get a whole lot of glory. (Although, they tend to get a lot more than developers, but that’s a whole different article.)
So I understand why there is so much emphasis on award shows, why so many seek to enshroud themselves in modern architecture and why they scramble to get shiniest brands they can for their portfolio. But formulating a career path around this type of false coddling and external gratification is ultimately hollow. It’s no wonder so many people are bummed out.
When you count up the hours, we spend a huge portion of our lives at work. In striving for a better quality of life, wouldn’t it be make sense to spend that time with people you actually like? For all the industry talk of creating culture, doesn’t it pretty much boil down to that? At BKWLD, we have a silly acronym that gets tossed around quite a bit: DBAD. Don’t Be A Dick.
It’s not rocket science. Don’t be a dick. Your kindergarden teacher probably told you something to the same effect. We’re all very respectful of each other, but we also strive to work with clients with whom we respect and share ideals. On the surface, that seems like a no-brainer, but it’s also really easy to say “ok, I don’t really like this environment or this person, but this is going to look really good on my portfolio, and it pays well, so I’ll just suck it up for a little while.”
Let me tell you, as a seemingly healthy 33-year old who found out that he had cancer, life is too fucking short for that.
Instead of focusing on shiny things, focus on people. Find people with similar values, who you enjoy spending time with. Find people who complement your own skills, and push you to be better. A funny thing happens when everyone puts ego, politics, et al aside and works together — all of that effort goes into producing the best work. When you’re not in a defensive position, you can take constructive criticism without taking it personally, and the end result is better. In a comfortable and respectful environment, ideas live or die on their own merit. When everyone is free to contribute, the project grows stronger.
Does this sound like an unattainable utopia? It’s not. It might be a little harder to find, but it exists. People who share my values might not share yours. That’s ok, all that matters is finding people and a place that aligns for you. Just like landing dream brand ______ as a client, it might take some time to get there. I promise you, working with the right people is worth it.
Admittedly, I still have a lot to learn, and I look forward to those lessons. But if the years I’ve lived and the miles I’ve traveled have taught me anything, it is the utmost importance of surrounding yourself with good people. People who are honest, intelligent and passionate. People who both challenge and support you. With the right team, you can and will produce your best work, and live your best life. But it all starts with people.
People, not projects.
