Digital Hitchhiker

Failure isn’t all negative, it’s more a process of wrong choices that help you to find out what’s going to work. Sometimes they’re small, others are huge but this is how you learn.

As a designer, you have days where nothing you create looks good. You don’t stop being a designer because your creative juice ran out. It’s something you have to get through, then move on. Failure is the same way. When you fall down, you have to get up and brush yourself off and continue to your goal. I don’t think any of us would have learned to ride a bike if we would have given up after that first spill.

Even if you make 10 attempts at getting it right and fail at 9 of them, you still got it right in the end. Sure it took you 9 tries but you got back up and tried again every time. You’re going to make many mistakes along the way. Sure it might not work out the first time but sooner or later the odds are going to turn and you’ll hit that jackpot.

The other night I was talking with a girl at a party and she mentioned that she was an aspiring fashion designer. I asked her what her focus or niche market was. Her response was “everything, I didn’t know you needed to have one.” Everything? I don’t know much about the fashion industry, any little knowledge I have comes from watching project runway. So really that’s basically nothing. She was trying to tell me her potential brand was going to design shoes, underwear, and dresses? Even if I don’t know much about the fashion business I know from my own business that not having a target seems silly.

From my experience in the motion graphics industry I know that at times being a generalist can be an asset. You can work on a lot of different projects and fix any issues that might come up. You’ll get a good amount of work because you have a lot of skills. But it seems that to really excel you need a focus; if that’s 2D, 3D, matte painting, editing or composting. You might not have as much work sometimes but when you do you’re able to charge more for it. Some day you’ll want to be paid as an expert in one area not just known as the person who knows a little about it all. I know a lot of generalist who are busy but I know more specialized people that are busy and they are creating amazing work.

Maybe motion graphics is a bad example compared to a fashion designer. But no matter what field you’re in, having a focus is going to get you further. Don’t try and do it all right away instead expand your field as you grow and learn.

I can’t believe I’m writing a post about keeping focus. I must of been derailed a dozen times while I was trying to put this together. But I’ve embraced that a long time ago and know it’s going to happen. As an entrepreneur and creative person, I’m a bit all over the place. I have a constant stream of ideas for designs I want to explore and things I want to try to do. For the most part I try to welcome these ideas and go with it. Life is an adventure and you have to see where the path takes you sometimes. Usually it works out and the design or concept is stronger; the creative process was victorious. Far too often I have to reign myself in a bit because I could spend the entire day working on new ideas and opportunities. If one of these new ideas isn’t adding real value, I need to shut it down. Every minute I’m not focused on building my core business or brand is a minute wasted. It might seem like I have a hundred projects I’m working on but I try to make sure each and every one of them is helping my core business grow and improve. If you love what you’re doing, stay focused on that and become the best at it. Then worry about moving onto the next thing. Because if you head down the wrong path, there is someone right behind you who has just been waiting for your focus to slip. They’re going to sweep in there and take your place. Don’t let all the new opportunities that arise let you lose sight of your real focus at the moment.

Week 127 of Type Tuesday. Each week I try and share five free fonts that I’ve come across for you to use and enjoy. I hope you like what I have picked out this time. Be sure to comeback next week for another great set.

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PLSTK

WINTERMELON

SOYMILK

Dion Font