The bridge between the amateur designer and the professional designer is typography mastery. And although theory, tools, and tactics are part of a well-rounded skill set, it’s just as important to possess a growth mindset to really master your craft.
Let me explain.
A mindset is a belief or attitude that orients the way someone handles situations. It predetermines the way a person interprets and responds to a circumstance.
Your mind is an extremely powerful instrument. Just believing in something can help you persevere and achieve the impossible. And what you believe can form your new reality.
And like a broken record, we are constantly stressing, over and over, that it’s the way you think and approach typography which is the real key to long-term success in design.
You can’t condition your mind by watching YouTube, Skillshare, or reading books! You have to learn, practice, and keep pushing it until it becomes engrained in you and your design decision-making becomes second nature.
Treat your brain like a muscle.
Exercise is key.
Photo courtesy of Bel V. Diriazs
Treat your brain like a muscle. Exercise is key.
Oh, and having the right mindset is the foremost attribute required for any art or creative director. This matters tenfold when you lead a team!
Design mastery is the vehicle that will get you from where you are now to your dreams. So it’s really essential that your mindset be flexible, risk-taking, and always growing.
Keep trying new things, testing limitations, get uncomfortable, expose yourself, leverage your design community, challenge your skills, and do so on a regular basis.
Don’t underestimate the impact of your design work when you can move and motivate a person to take action. Your clients and partners depend on designers to keep moving forward.
That’s why we have been developing focused group coaching programs to help designers grow, improve, and succeed. Along with design discipline, we help to condition your mindset with accountability, celebration, and support.
We take this mindset sh*t seriously, yo.
I know you’ve had your head down in work lately, so this is what I ask of you to freshen your brain up this week.
Do one of these things, and perhaps it will open your mind, give you a win, or dawn a new perspective:
- Enter your work in the 2018 Communication Arts Typography Competition. The deadline is in two days... and someone you know is a judge!
- Watch my interview with creative business consultant Emily Cohen about pricing strategies. We pack as much into 60 minutes as humanly possible
- Grab a new tee-shirt this week and pledge your commitment to the Grid Life! You live and design by the grid, so wear it on your sleeve
- Register for an upcoming #typedojo interview and hob-nob online with Design Director Jane Moon from Drybar, Art Director & Author Steven Heller, or Type Designer Neil Summerour
- Brush up on the powers and weaknesses of superfamilies in my Communication Arts article
Go forth and work on your mindset. If you need some support, join us and other design professionals just like you, in our Facebook Group.
