{"id":873,"date":"2017-04-18T06:58:56","date_gmt":"2017-04-18T11:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/walkingstickdesign.com\/?p=873"},"modified":"2017-04-18T06:58:56","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T11:58:56","slug":"advice-for-design-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingstickdesign.com\/advice-for-design-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Advice for Design Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

Advice for Design Students<\/h2>\n

\u2014 Tuesday, April 18th, 2017 \u2014<\/h3>\n

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Let\u2019s kick this off with a quote: #clintlovesquotes<\/a><\/p>\n

The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life. \u2014 JESSICA HISCHE<\/h3>\n

Make the things you want to see in the world. No one will ask you, certainly no one will pay<\/em> you. Make it because it needs to be made. Make it because you can\u2019t go to sleep at night until it exists.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t take money, they can\u2019t tell you what to do, kid. \u2014 BILL CUNNINGHAM<\/h3>\n

Ask forgiveness, never for permission, you ain\u2019t never gunna get it.<\/p>\n

Look around for problems to solve. They\u2019re everywhere. Offer up your solutions and never wait to be asked.<\/p>\n

Get specific\u00a0about what success means to you<\/em>. It will<\/em>\u00a0be different than everyone else in the class.<\/p>\n

Do not<\/em>\u00a0allow someone or some thing else attempt to define it for you because they will try.<\/p>\n

You have immense power to accomplish amazing things. Work for a purpose, not a paycheck.<\/p>\n

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Make a plan, work the plan. Make damn sure it\u2019s your<\/em>\u00a0plan. Stabbing in the dark ain\u2019t no kind of future.<\/p>\n

Nothing bad happens when I push myself toward a goal. Nothing good happens when I don’t.<\/p>\n

Comfort<\/a> is Americas chief export. Like anything that\u2019s wonderful, too much of it will kill you dead.<\/p>\n

Stick\u00a0around people that energize you and avoid folks that don\u2019t. Spend zero time around folks that drain you.<\/p>\n

Hurdles are part of the race. Fail often enough, and with the right attitude and you\u2019ll make, what science calls, discoveries. So, go make some discoveries.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s a shame when the only person who doesn’t believe in you is you. What\u2019s the worst thing that could happen if you started to believe in yourself?<\/p>\n

Keep a student mindset. Always be learning and applying new skills and knowledge. Smart people know that they don\u2019t know everything. So, they keep learning. Do what smart people do.<\/p>\n

Procrastination and Perfection are your enemy. \u2014 JAMES VICTORE<\/h3>\n

Never perfect. Everything is practice. Invite folks to watch your progress. The right folks will be your advocate, the wrong folks will fade out.<\/p>\n

Know when it\u2019s done enough to show people and then immediately<\/strong> show them. Don\u2019t put it off otherwise you\u2019ll never show em.<\/p>\n

You only get one body<\/a>, if it ain\u2019t workin\u2019\u00a0you<\/strong> ain\u2019t workin.\u2019 Invest the time and focus on making your body\u00a0work well.<\/p>\n

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We all have plenty of time and money for the things we truly value. Your check register and your calendar tell others what you value more loudly that your mouth.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t actively make time for the things you value, please don\u2019t be surprised when those things go away. Invest your time and money by playing the long game. A marathon mentality is your escape\u00a0from the rat race. Slow and steady wins the race. Let the tortoise\u00a0set the pace.<\/p>\n

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Be selfish with your gifts, at least at first. Make stuff for you<\/strong>\u00a0and show<\/strong> folks. I\u2019ve noticed that the creative life is like one long game of (make) show and tell. It\u2019s supposed to be fun.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a designer and you\u2019re not having any fun it\u2019s your fault. \u2014 Tad Carpenter<\/h3>\n

Relax. Make something for fun. Then do it over and over again.<\/p>\n

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WARNING: Awful Dad Joke coming:<\/h3>\n

Graduate Summa Cum Laude from UBU. You just ain\u2019t no good at being someone else.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the work you pour your passion into that\u2019s most powerful. Work that displays passion\u00a0will have the most impact on the tangent of your\u00a0career.<\/p>\n

No one will know (or care) how your super power (your work) can help them unless you show them. They can\u2019t value it until they see it. So, let em see how amazing you are.<\/p>\n

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The things you tell your self in your head will either propel you or poison\u00a0you. The good news is that you get to decide which one will happen.<\/p>\n

If some drunk on the street yelled in your face the things you tell yourself you\u2019d laugh your butt off and or punch em dead in the nose. So why take it from yourself?<\/p>\n

Self-bullying is a real thing. Get into the habit of externalizing the things you say to yourself and immediately shift your brain toward the reasons why those things are false.<\/p>\n

The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist… Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice. \u2014From the Movie After Earth<\/em><\/h3>\n

Know the difference between Danger and Fear. One is very real and the other is completely made up.<\/p>\n

Anybody can do or be nothing. Are you better than nothing? Prove it.<\/p>\n

Fear stops two kinds of people: Cowards and Weaklings. Feel the fear and do it anyway, they call that courage. Make a plan for the danger and work the plan.<\/p>\n

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What if the things you complain about are the things you’ve been put on this planet to fix? Pay attention to the next thing you complain about. The Universe may be showing you an opportunity. It may be giving\u00a0you to chance to shine by throwing a difficulty or two your direction.<\/p>\n

Think about it, if you complain about something, you\u2019re probably not the only one. So, make a move. Be part of the solution instead of being another lazy\u00a0bystander. The world already has enough of those.<\/p>\n

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The next time you feel like complaining, pause and give someone a compliment. Or better yet, think of three things you\u2019re thankful for and write them down, or say them out loud.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll wrap up with two questions:<\/h3>\n

What would happen if you kept all the promises you make yourself?<\/p>\n

What are you hiding? Let\u2019s remove grades, and deadlines, and clients, and bills, and rules from the table. What\u2019s that thing you wish existed in the world. Pour your passion on it and get it out of your head. Be brave enough to allow the substance of your heart to call the shots, just this once. Work on making that thing you hide – it has the very real potential to make you great.<\/p>\n

Thank you. Here are some resources:<\/h2>\n

Burning Questions<\/a><\/p>\n

Good Design Advice<\/a><\/p>\n

Bad Habits you can stop TODAY<\/a><\/p>\n

The Power of Less<\/a><\/p>\n

The War of Art<\/a><\/p>\n

My Thoughts<\/a><\/p>\n

If I were in your shoes I would call (on the actual phone) the following agencies and ask to schedule a portfolio review with the creative director:<\/p>\n