Trusting the Process: My Path to Self-Discovery in UX Design
Beyond tech skills, my story about finding purpose, embracing uncertainty, and why taking the leap is always worth it.
“Who am I? Why am I here?
How much potential do I have?
What am I capable of doing?
By what criteria should I measure my ability?
Who sets the standards?”
Growing up in Ghana, I had these questions flowing through my mind. Because, in my opinion, one of the greatest tragedies in life is to watch potential die untapped. Discovering my purpose and using it to positively influence people was a priority, but this journey wasn’t without hurdles. Especially being raised in a developing country — I was surrounded by limited technology and outdated methods of studying.
My university education was nothing to brag about, I realized the need to self-educate. I started researching and teaching myself skills in Digital Design. During my college education, I got a job as a supervisor for pre-university students who had creative design projects, this was the period I started discovering my purpose — Aspiring to Inspire Creativity in Digital Design.
Starting over
After a few years, I quit my job as a creative supervisor and moved into the start-up world. I founded a photography company, it was great while it lasted but unfortunately, after a year I had to close it down due to funding challenges. For a while, I was broke and jobless. I started freelancing as a graphic designer and the hustle was real.
I found myself teaming up with some old college mates and joined their startup. I had an amazing time working with them, we achieved great milestones as a company. After some months, I moved back into the corporate world and landed a job at Huawei Technologies as a Digital Designer.
Settling Down
My work at Huawei gave me the privilege to travel around Europe. I found myself in Amsterdam, and there, I met the love of my life — we got married, and I quit my job at Huawei in Ghana and moved to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is a lovely city, aside from the bicycle rage, it is a place to be. It is a thriving tech and ICT hub. A prominent choice for international professionals, the city is home to an open and creative tech scene and numerous innovative companies. But, where do I start?!
Finding a job — My Ironhack Journey
I attended tech meet-ups in the city and discovered an Ironhack UX/UI workshop. My interest in User Experience and Design started in college but I never had the opportunity to pursue it until then. After researching Ironhack, I was impressed with their approach to learning and their beliefs.
During the workshop, I explored the basics of Design Thinking, Wire-framing, Prototyping, and more, and learned a lot about UX/UI design from their instructor, Marjon Siero. The admission process was fast and smooth, and I was accepted into the January UX/UI Design Bootcamp after being tested on my problem-solving abilities.
I received their acceptance letter and began studying their pre-work materials to prepare for the program.
Trusting the Process…
To have faith is to have a deep sense of trust in what cannot be seen. Proof or evidence is not needed. Rather it is an inner sense of knowing that guides you. To trust the process, wholly, and completely, is to not need to know what is unfolding or why, but to simply be here in the present to experience it. This kept me going for the past 6 years. I always had an inner sense that kept me calm through it all.
I believe anything is possible.
I see opportunity when others see impossibility.
I take risks. I’m focused. I hustle. I know that nothing is unrealistic.
I feel overwhelming love. I embrace my childlike wonder and curiosity.
I take flying leaps into the unknown. I contribute to something bigger than myself. I create. I learn. I grow. I do. I believe it’s never too late to start living a dream. I am a Creative.
As human beings, we often want immediate results and instant gratification. We want to skip the hard work and get straight to the reward. However, this mentality can hinder our progress and prevent us from reaching our full potential. That’s where trusting the process comes in.
Trusting the process means having faith in the journey, even when the outcome is uncertain. It’s about recognizing that success takes time, effort, and patience. It’s about focusing on the present moment and doing our best, rather than obsessing over the result.
When we trust the process, we can stay motivated and resilient, even in the face of obstacles and setbacks. We can learn from our mistakes and use them as stepping stones toward our goals. We can embrace uncertainty and change, knowing that they are natural parts of the journey.
Trusting the process is especially important in creative endeavors, such as writing, art, and music. These pursuits require experimentation, exploration, and revision, all of which can be frustrating and time-consuming. But when we trust the process, we can enjoy the journey and appreciate the small victories along the way.
Thanks for reading! I’d love to know about your journey too, connect with me via Linkedin 😃. Also, please give some claps 👏🏿👏🏻👏🏽👏for this article. It helps like-minded readers discover it in their home feed.😇
