I was recently interviewed by 3D Artist magazine about my work and process as a designer, and here is part of the interview which I hope you enjoy:
What tips would you give to designers just starting out who'd like to follow in your footsteps?
1- Always dream big!
Have faith and confidence in who you are and the potential you have to be whatever you want to be, don't let the naysayers or people around you let you down. Don't let yourself down by thinking you can't achieve what other leaders in the industry have. Every leader started from the bottom up and put in so many hours, nobody did it overnight. Don't make it become a chore, if you are truly passionate about it then let your passion drive you and take you to places you could only imagine you could get to.
2- Don't just dream big, do big!
Having a dream without really walking the walk or taking an action, will just remain a useless dream. In order to reach your goals, you should have a vision of where you want to be or what you want to achieve. If you can imagine it, then you will find a way to get there by taking action and the necessary steps.
3- Count your failures as your success!
You will never score and get what you aimed for everytime, and that's totally normal, and just the way life works. Don't let a failure or something that didn't turn out the way you expected take you down, whether it's a job interview, award, declined project, or bad feedback. Learn from every failure, it's the experiences that make you a rich person, and that's the best experience you can have to keep growing and getting stronger.
4- Be humble and have confidence!
You will learn that as you get to work in the industry, there's a lot of amazing talent, and a lot of great designers that do things differently, always be open to advise and listening to others, but also be proud of what your own ideas are what you bring to the table, different opinions are a healthy thing, and their's no white and black in design, at the end of the day, they are all just subjective opinions of people coming with different tastes from different backgrounds and experiences.
5- Be hungry!
Never settle for where you are now, theirs is always a what's next. Celebrate the big wins in your life, and also keep sight for where you want to go next. The moment you think you know it all, you have stopped growing.
6- Positivity wins!
Be inspired and energized by the positive people around you, people that see the light in your work, and appreciate and push you forward. Positivity is a huge topic that allows designers to explore things beyond their strengths and abilities and keep pushing the bar higher every time. I have experienced some of the most positive and genuinely kind people in my career who elevate you and take you to new grounds, and some of the most negative and arrogantly opinionated people who try to sink your ship. It's always good to know who you surround yourself with and try to keep the positive people at a distance.
7- Give back!
Remember how tough it was when you first started, looking for answers to easy questions. Well, know that you are always a pro in the eyes of those with less knowledge than you, and always try to give back by helping others improve and bettering themselves.
Finally, don't forget to have fun and enjoy what you are doing, that's what counts the most in anything you pursue in life.