No Biggie

“…build something great.” Doesn’t it sound like a really heavy responsibility? How could I possibly build something great all the time? It’s especially critical for me, being part of the creative team. Once we’ve locked in 3-4 ideas for a project, there’s a great pressure of designing something that will captivate attention, emotion, and the brand essence. Did our designs align with the client’s brand? Did we push too far or did we not push enough? The creative process is definitely a complicated one, especially if we’re feeling unmotivated and uninspired. #thestruggleisreal #sorryfortheunnecessaryhashtag. How should I counter the feeling of being unmotivated and uninspired so I could “build something great”? Well, I have a theory…If I place myself in uncomfortable or unusual situations, it will force me to react and think differently about what’s around me. It will force me to find a solution to a problem. It will force me to grow and learn new things about my strengths and weaknesses. It will force me to notice things that I usually overlook. And hopefully, it will force me to let go of my uncertainties and hesitations while I frolic around creativity land—yes, this place exists. Since the year is still young, I thought it’s still appropriate to write a short bucket list for 2014 that will help me be excited, motivated, and inspired. I’m going to call this list my “Uncomfortably Awesome and Random Short List of 2014.” I will:

1. Be a lefty for a day
2. Jump out of a plane
3. Visit another foreign country
4. Join the Neon Run without yelling “UGH. I HATE RUNNING!”
5. Be offline for 48 hours
6. Do at least 2 successful pull-ups (I’m keeping my expectations low here, guys)
7. Watch a movie in the theater by myself
8. Shoot an arrow, Katniss style
9. Find Waldo
10. Complete my “Uncomfortably Awesome and Random Short List of 2014” before the year ends!

My list definitely doesn’t sound “extreme” or “daring” compared to most people, and that’s okay. Some of these will test my patience, and that’s okay too. Patience is critical in any industry. If you have none, it will be hard to progress. How about you? How are you going to stay motivated and inspired this year?