You Are Your Work.

Yep, I said it.

I said the words, that other designers, art directors, project managers and account managers forbid you to say.

You are your work. Your work is an extension of yourself, it is part of you. Art is one of the highest forms of self expression. There is no denying that you are not connected to those pixels on the screen.

When a client gives you design feedback that in your opinion ruins your work. Don’t throw it off saying it doesn’t matter, it does. Don’t say it’s just a job. Don’t say I’m not my work, because you are indeed lying to yourself. Consistently living in denial will take it’s psychological toll on you. Which causes what all designers fear, burn out.

Take a moment.

Mourn your loss.

Yes, mourn the piece of work that wasn’t. The work, that, for whatever reason the universe wasn’t ready for. The work you spent hours getting it looking just right.

Look at it. It’s bloody gorgeous the way it is.

Then take a deep breath and make the change.

All the while knowing this:

You are part of the elite that gets paid to design. That gets paid to draw, sketch, digitally design. That gets to work with colors, type, spacing, alignment, beauty, aesthetics. That gets to spend hours online being inspired by the best art and design has to offer today.

You are privileged that you can make a living this way. A career, especially for those in digital design didn’t exist a mare 10 years ago.

Nowadays, illustrators, designers, artists whatever you want to call us. Can spend the better part of their day doing what they love.

I recently left a steady and well paid job and jumped into the unknown. Yep, I took a risk. Yep, I took a chance. Yep, it was for emotional reasons. I had to end a business relationship that was no longer working for me and I had to do it at that second.

I did that thing everyone tells you not to do. Quit, without having another job.

However, a mere week later I was already approached by my current boss and during the next month I would be inundated with phones calls, emails and LinkedIn messages with job offers.

Right now it’s an employee’s market for designers. It was never this way.

The advent of technology has given careers to all those who never thought they could make a decent living as a designer. For all those that were told it’s too competitive, go make a normal living or just paint on the weekends. It’s a reality that never was.

So go yes, you are your work and yes, you can make that change. It is not a paradox.