Ever worried about what others think of your creative work? Ever felt the social media tumbleweed, when it feels like no one is paying attention to what you’re putting out there? Ever compared yourself to others in your field? Welcome to the world of self doubt as a designer! The good news is, you’re not alone, and there are some actionable steps you can take to improve your level of self doubt in your creative projects.
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Show Notes for This Episode:
[1.00] How all creatives experience self doubt
[1.50] Why there is no A to B straight line for designers
[2.30] Why creating is like making cookies!
[3.00] Why you feel like you ARE what you create
[4.00] Lisa’s potential for a children’s book
[4.55] Why creatives are insecure, but not psychos!
[5.30] Creatives are intense and passionate people (the perfect storm for self doubt!)
[6.20] Confirming your lack of success
[7.05] Social media leading to self doubt
[8.00] Why comments matter most
[8.45] The dreaded tumbleweed!
[9.30] Why to expect tumbleweeds early on (and why this is ok)
[10.10] Audit yourself in terms of what you engage with
[11.20] Why you should engage with other’s work
[12.40] Why social media is ego driven
[13.00] Client feedback leading to self doubt
[14.15] You won’t please everyone
[15.00] Why the client is usually right
[16.20] Staying motivated if your work is mediocre
[17.45] Why we are aware that our work isn’t great yet
[18.45] The important of a higher purpose
[19.40] Getting out of your head, and being less ‘me, me, me!’
[21.00] What is the work we do that doesn’t feel like work?
[22.45] Ian loving the idea stage
[24.45] Ideas can take a while to come to fruition
[25.20] Why challenging yourself results in self doubt
[26.00] How passion can reduce self doubt
[27.00] When people struggle with hitting their stride
[28.00] Why collaborations can fall into the same trap
[29.10] Lisa’s experience of self-doubt making a Design Cuts product
[29.50] Self doubt can make or break a project
[30.30] Why you shouldn’t compare yourself to others
[31.20] Dustin’s shedding of self doubt
[32.05] Forget what everyone else thinks!
[32.20] Look at the long-term trends to feel better about your journey
[34.00] Why social media can drive you to distraction
[34.40] Feeling really stressed looking at others in your space
[35.30] Why comparing to others wastes your time
[36.35] Why it’s wise to be a tortoise
[37.50] Focusing, without as many distractions
[39.00] The importance of switching off
“A must for every creative freelancer (or those aspiring to freelance). Thank you for being so… honest! Such a wealth of information from people I admire who have ‘been there and done that’. Listening to the podcast every week feels like I’m among friends. Can’t wait for more episodes!” – AG_GD
Great show. I laughed at Dustin’s ‘two mornings/one day’, I do the exact same thing for the exact same reasons. Insight from the four of you is great. Don’t be afraid to go into detail (Ie. Saying it takes a long time to find your ‘style’ is one thing, but when Lisa said it took her two years that’s a real nice piece of data I can process). Keep going, I’m listening!
Am enjoying your podcasts so much! I am not a professional designer, but your podcasts are applicable to many creative careers/endeavors. Keep up the awesome work!!
Hey Christine,
Oh thank you so much, I know this will mean a great deal to Honest Designers so thanks for tuning in :)
Hey Marlys,
Thanks so much for the comment, it’s lovely to hear from you.
Oh we are really happy that you feel encouraged and don’t worry, we’ve all been there at some point! It’s nice to work away now with 4 other voices in your ears though :)
That’s the first podcast I’ve ever listened all the way through!
A lot of us work alone and it was like having friends around to chat, loved it :-)
Thanks so much for feedback Brenda, and I hope it helped to show that you’re definitely not alone. You’re definitely not a fake, and I’m thrilled we could help with your creative confidence :).
Thank you Manon, we really appreciate the awesome feedback :).
Thanks a ton Paula, that’s so great to hear :). The ‘finding your flow’ video is viewable on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/designcuts/videos/1033842369984313/. Some great advice from Lisa :).
Thanks Andrea, I’m so glad the show is resonating with you :). In the next episode we take a super honest look at burn out for designers, I hope it’s helpful for you. The ‘jack of all trades’ debate is something we definitely get into more on the show, and I hope it’s helpful for you. The answer is basically ‘whatever works for you’, or to elaborate – people find success in both paths, so there’s no right or wrong answer, but there are certain actions that will allow you to succeed whichever path you choose. We have some upcoming episodes all about attracting clients too :).
Thank you for sharing your valuable insights in these podcasts. I especially appreciated your comments about how long it took you to hit your stride and develop your personal style, and how to stay motivated when you weren’t feeling like an original. I’m looking forward to the next episode! I am in the process of making a career change into design from another field, and would be interested in your thoughts on whether someone new to design should specialize in a specific area or offer a broader range of (less finely-developed) skills. And finding clients who get your style – any tips on that? Thanks so much!
1st of all, LOVED IT
2nd of all, during the podcast yall mentioned about an article or episode about “getting into the flow”.
Where is it? Is it a planned episode?
It’s a very common issue faced by creatives, so you’re definitely not alone Stuart. Progression is a huge motivation for us all, and can help you to escape the daily struggles, and look at the bigger picture.
I hope you enjoy the next episode and find it equally relatable :).