Creativity, Purpose, and Passion: an Exploration of Good Work as a Framework for Success
Artistic creation (creativity), mission-driven work (purpose), and excitement for the job (passion); in combination, the three encourage a person to explore ideas others label as unrealistic — too rare or too risky. Each and every one of us yearns to impact the world with the good work we do or want to do. It’s the human nature of good humans — the answer to our ‘why.’
But how does this mindset look in action?
And when it’s identified, how can it be applied?
Many people seek answers to these questions, using their own search for happiness and fulfillment as a map.
The truth is, the further into your dreams you dive the more risk you will assume. Of course, reward looms somewhere in the distance. So, whether you are a realist or surrealist, practicing artistic creation, aligning with a mission and working with purpose grants access to these two worlds: one where creativity is autonomous and one where individual and organizational goals are in alignment. Remember, contrary to corporate norms of the past, it’s okay to have one foot firmly planted in both.
The following five articles speak to people out there working for ‘good’ and living outside of a societal box, free of the that’s-not-how-it-works mindset.
(You, there! With your vision of what positive change looks like and how it can be designed through good work — let’s dive in.)
1) Designing Your Life Using Artistic Creation; a Lesson in Mental Clarity, Empathy and Fun
As an American writer, filmmaker, philosopher, and activist, Susan Sontag once said,
“Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.”
Susan was talking to you when she said this, sharing her point — that creativity is within every human.
The trick is NOT to wait for the right circumstances or opportunity to land in your lap. Instead, grab life by the horns. Pay attention to the opportunity in front of you and create something with what you already have.
This hits home for our group of designers (UX, UI, IxD), an ensemble of solution crafters who use research, planning and design tools to improve upon clients’ businesses. Attention, inspiration, and eagerness are the factors that connect us during the process. Surely you can find similarities in your work.
Use this animated video from Zombie Studio as an example: “Dream” is a project video that was created for the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (WCFF). This highly skilled group of animators, designers, and producers acted on an internal desire to create change using their creative abilities. They may not be scientists or park rangers, but their passion for the cause resulted in equally valuable contributions to the community.
2) Rethinking Ocean Plastic With Artists and Designers: 10 Well-Designed Ads
From corporate programs to government regulation and non-profit action, many people (and groups) are showing intense interest in reducing plastic waste, or better, stopping it at the source. This mindset absolutely makes all the difference in the ocean environment.
Today, conservation groups and environmental non-profits call on designers to create compelling visuals that are too memorable to ignore and forget. For these businesses living the mission-first mindset, the end goal is the same: use creativity to design change that benefits the natural world.
This 2018 advert from Iceland Foods is a great example. And the fact it was banned for being “too political” further bolstered support from the global community.
With creative contributions from artists and designers who share a plastic-free vision, we believe progress can be made by influencing people to form emotional bonds with the places most affected by plastic waste: the ocean.
3) For a Better User Experience, Just add Murals
Cities across America are in desperate need of more public art — something provoking, emotional, relatable, or just plain fun. Something to communicate positive vibes and inclusivity rather than negativity and fear. Could murals be the solution, refreshing user experience for us all? Absolutely.
As it stands, urban art initiates the identity-discovery process for communities, while revealing the character of those living within. Furthermore, the constant exposure of artistic creation injects creativity into the minds of those who pass through.
“Few people go to art exhibitions nowadays, the art comes to them!” — Chris Geiger
There’s the discipline of UX design — and then there’s the experience of the user; a user will always have an experience regardless of whether the discipline was used to create something or not. Murals provide the evidence. Practitioner’s touch or not, these creations have a profound impact on how a person interacts with the urban setting, especially when it captivates the masses and communicates a global message. PangeaSeed demonstrates this concept well.
4) Five Artists Designing an Emotional Response to Ocean Plastic
What we need are large populations to form emotional bonds with the environments most affected by plastic waste: the ocean! However, we also need people to better understand the role the ocean plays in our survival.
Although educational efforts have made progress, it’s the creative lessons that resonate — the non-verbal forms of expression which strike a nerve and influence action. Similar to the classical lessons learned from the humanities (high school and college), art is a powerful tool for communicating the need for immediate change regarding how we use and discard plastic waste.
The Designing North mindset speaks to our belief that everyone is creative in one way or another, and by practicing artistic creation, a person can design a life that’s more enjoyable and fulfilling, even if it entails tackling the heart-wrenching reality of ocean plastic.
These artist-driven projects are some of the best ocean-plastic campaigns on earth, especially with their success in transforming the way people are educated about the severity of plastic waste.
5) UX, Positive Change and Togetherness: Murals are Societies Best Tool for Expression
Deceivingly stationary, murals hold the power to large social movements. They can stimulate change and cultivate togetherness without the spoken word. They are also the answer to designing more livable communities for many important reasons: they are conducive to a person’s and group’s user experience (UX) within public spaces, they motivate positive change without name-calling and build community bonds through peaceful, artistic communication. Sound familiar? This isn’t the first time we’ve proclaimed our passion for urban art.
From San Francisco to Manhattan, urban murals have become an embedded attraction, a reason for people to visit a specific area within a city to see with their own eyes what the hype is about — searching for a genuinely unique experience.
The Central Florida Monarch Butterfly Project and The Audubon Mural Project are perfect examples of how murals can facilitate bonding within a community. From Allen’s Hummingbird to a Swallow-Tailed Kite, avian masterpieces are splashed across Harlem neighborhoods, covering everything from aged brick high rises to the security gates of dental and vision offices.
These five stories represent the intersection of artistic creation, mission-driven work, and passion for the job. We know an infinite number of other stories exist for each one shared above.
Will you help us discover them? Tag us in a comment; email the article to us, or include the designing north mindset in your own story.
We look forward to joining the conversation.
