how to be brilliant
I just stumbled across this outstanding essay titled 9 to 5 = average. It's a post that deals with the topic of passion. Passion for the
The author points out that being great requires sacrifice and devotion. And that being great isn't for everyone.
Reminds me of that old, fantastic quote by someone famous who I can't remember or attribute now: "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life."
Send this to any design student that you know, any recent graduate, new job seeker, or burnt out co-worker looking for a career change.
Not to be a spoiler, but the piece closes with what I thought was a beautiful summation: "If you do choose to do it, don’t do it for your boss. Do it because it’s what you would do anyways. Do it because you love it."
Labels: design, identity, workplace
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:19 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
| Darryl Ohrt |
| David Plain |
| Justus Johnson |
| Rob Biddiscombe |
| Matt Hunsberger |
| Steph Fuda |
| RJ Fenn |
| Sara Champion |
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The author makes some valid points about "passionate" 9 to 5 designers. But despite his attempts to convince the readers otherwise, he sets himself up as the paragon of what it takes to be a successful designer - a workaholic.
I resent the notion that designers working more conventional hours don't truly aspire to greatness - that work/life balance and cutting edge design are mutually exclusive.
I am a designer for a publishing company, and our hours are pretty close to 9 to 5. But to say that designers like myself are not truly passionate is an insult of the most inflammatory nature! My unofficial knickname around here is "Bull" because my intense passion for great design often makes me the unintentional "bull in the china shop" when it comes to issues of design and creativity.
With that said, other designers in my situation should take note of the overall message in the "9 to 5=Average" essay: Design is not an occupation; its a way of life.
I, for one, may keep office hours of 9 to 5, but I never stop being a designer. Design isn't something you turn off when you punch out and turn on when you clock in.
I read no less than three design blogs every morning. I can't go to Barnes & Noble without picking up a new Best of Design book. When I go to Disney World, I take pictures of signs and illustrations and typography. When I go to the bathroom I read through any one of four design magazines I subscribe to each month.
This is how my personal time feeds my office/design time. My well is full and I have more inspiration to draw from when I actually sit down to do design work - "my job."
Keeping 9 to 5 hours does not make you average; thinking that design is a job rather than a way of life makes you average.
Hal -
I think that the second part of your comment is the most relevant here, and what the author was really going for, IMO.
Design IS a way of life. Or any career, for that matter. And the people that are "always on" are always going to be the people who meet the greatest success.
It has less to do with the number of hours put in, and more to do with the passion of living, breathing your love. Always. All the time.
There are plenty of people in our industry who not only clock out at 5pm from their "job", but also clock out from the passion of what they've chosen to do.
The fact that you're reading design annuals in the bathroom (thanks for the nice mental picture there) says that you're certainly not clocking out. Ever.
And it's that devotion that keeps you from being average.
darryl,
In case you don't hear it enough, "thanks for a great blog." It's refreshing and encouraging to find other creatives who aren't asleep at the wheel; who are always thinking, always imagining, always evolving. That's one of the main things that makes VIA one of my favorite firms to watch!
Sweet!!
Thanks for the kind words, Hal! You can never really hear stuff like that enough. ;)