Q. I’m an established graphic designer
with a significant client base
and a steady workload. Lately,
though, it feels like pulling teeth
to get a project completed. When
I’m gung ho and really believe in a
design, the client shoots it down. Or
I spend endless hours at the drawing board and still
don’t like anything I come up with. Either way, I end
up doubting myself and thinking my work isn’t up to
par with “good” designers.
A. What you’re describing is a common phenomenon
among those of us who make a living from being
creative. Unfortunately, when your work is judged
harshly—or when you don’t like what you’re producing—
it’s hard to not succumb to doubts about
your worth as a talented professional.
The truth is that there probably are times when
your work isn’t as good as it could be. No matter
the reason—lack of time, inadequate budget, physical
illness—the point is it really might not be up to
par. And there are clearly going to be times (thank
goodness) when you think your solution to a project
isn’t any good, but you’re wrong. Maybe you’re just
in a funk and nothing you do will appeal to you. Of
course, there are instances where you think the work
is good, but the client doesn’t; sometimes the client is
right, sometimes wrong. The more you think about
it, the more befuddling it can become. A way to sort
it out is to keep a few important things in mind:
Accept that “good” is subjective. “What is good
design?” has been the basis of articles, books, theses,
conferences … and there is still no authoritative
answer. Is it good design if a project wins awards
but does nothing to achieve clients’ goals? If a piece
is created by a well-regarded master, does that automatically
make it high quality? The definition of
excellence is “the quality or state of being outstanding
and superior.” OK. But who determines that the
criteria have been met? And to make the concept
even more elusive, what is good also changes. Have
you ever found yourself surprised when you look
back at some of your past work, by how good (or
bad) it appears in the context of the present? The
bottom line is there are no absolutes, and if you
dwell too long with the question you’ll get lost in a
kind of Alice in Wonderland reasoning (which will
do nothing to get you out of the mind-game pickle
that prompted your self-doubts in the first place).
A second, and more important, consideration is to:
Realize that success—and your worth—comes
from within. It is, quite simply, counterproductive
to compare yourself and/or your work to others.
Look at others’ work, by all means. Admire it.
Embrace and study it. But consider that what you’re
looking at is the past. It was created in a moment
that is gone. You are here and this is now; you
have different parameters, goals, perspectives, and
opportunities. There are any number of apparent
“failures” documented in history that turned out to
be triumphs. Herman Melville, the author of Moby
Dick, never knew his novel would be regarded as a
classic. The artist Matisse began exhibiting in 1896,
but it took him 13 years to achieve fame; one can
only imagine the demons of doubt that plagued
such a trailblazer at the time. Those who have
become known as true masters endured, persevered,
and most importantly believed. They trusted themselves
even in the face of self-doubt.
And finally:
Bear in mind that this too shall pass. Every one
of us has experienced a slump. Sometimes the down
period is due to overwork, stress, or some physiological
challenge we’re facing. Other times there
is no ready answer about what the problem is—we
just don’t “feel creative.” Whatever is going on, it’s
important to keep a sense of perspective. Most situations—
even seemingly desperate ones—are temporary.
A good night’s sleep, a vacation, or a talk with
a professional counselor can help. And while there
clearly are times and situations that require more of
a fix than a “time out,” the fact remains that beating
up on yourself, faulting your work in comparison
to others, and continuing to toil when the fl ow just
isn’t there, are counterproductive. Step back, take a
deep breath, and keep the faith.
Recommended Resources
The Science of Self-Confidence
(audio CD), by Brian
Tracy, $79.95, Brian
Tracy International.
Effective Meditations for Overcoming Self-Doubt (audio
cassette), by
Deirdre Griswold,
$13.98, Effective
Learning Systems.
Supplies: A
Troubleshooting
Guide for Creative
Difficulties, by Julia
Cameron, $12.95,
Jeremy P. Tarcher.
The Sound of Paper:
Starting from Scratch,
by Julia Cameron,
$12.95, Jeremy P.
Tarcher.
