Where is the turning point of design career? Look at this 10 creative sharing.

Change is always inevitable. Without change, there would be no us today. Every day, changes take place unconsciously, quietly achieving every important milestone in our lives, such as marriage, job-hopping and having children.

But sometimes, you need to take the initiative to seek change, such as when you are depressed, lack of inspiration, depressed or in trouble. It is at these times that the changes made, whether subtle or huge, will have a great impact on our lives and work. So we asked 10 creative practitioners, from creative directors to photographers, what changes they have made in their lives and what impact these changes have on their work. I hope their experiences can inspire you.

1. When my work values change.

Miyako Nakamura, creative director and chief designer of MM.LaFleur

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Radical classroom changes are always inevitable. Without change, there would be no us today. Every day, changes take place unconsciously, quietly achieving every important milestone in our lives, such as marriage, job-hopping and having children.

But sometimes, you need to take the initiative to seek change, such as when you are depressed, lack of inspiration, depressed or in trouble. It is at these times that the changes made, whether subtle or huge, will have a great impact on our lives and work. So we asked 10 creative practitioners, from creative directors to photographers, what changes they have made in their lives and what impact these changes have on their work. I hope their experiences can inspire you.

1. When my work values change.

Miyako Nakamura, creative director and chief designer of MM.LaFleur

I must change my view on the value created by fashion design. I have been a designer in the luxury fashion industry in new york for 10 years. But I find that people's views on fashion are out of line with those of people in the industry on clothing.

No matter where I work, the most common obstacle is that I have to define the value first. There is a delicate balance between art and commercial potential, and there is never a simple answer that can satisfy both sides. So I want to rethink my career and what it means to be a fashion designer. I think if people want to appreciate these clothes, I must change people's evaluation of my clothing design.

When I was trying to change my thinking mode, I met Sarah, the founder of MM.LaFleur, and she gave me an opportunity to design clothes for professional women. When I started designing for her, I began to simplify the design-reduce the decoration and pay more attention to the quality of tailoring and textiles, as well as their production methods. From then on, I began to pay less attention to the visual appearance of the product, but more attention to the production process of the product. After working in MM.LaFleur for six years, I am proud to be able to create products that really improve the quality of life of customers.

What this experience has taught me is that you don't have to define value like others, but you have to understand that the value of things depends on yourself.

When I realized the importance of business.

Elaine chernov, founder of Shipshape Studio.

In the first five or six years of my career, I gradually realized that it is not enough to rely solely on creative awards to succeed in the field of design. When I graduated from the School of Design and Advertising, I believe that if I try my best to make the best advertising ideas or design works, everything will come naturally.

But when I worked overtime in the office until midnight countless times, I realized that it was not the most important thing to think of the best creative feeling, and everything was business. I'm just helping others sell more things. The company I work for is using my creativity to create works that are beneficial to them.

My psychological attitude has changed, not only because I am physically and mentally exhausted, but also because I have read some opinions-I have become a slave to an enterprise and its affiliated culture.

At first, I just didn't want to be used anymore, so I began to ask for a raise and clear working hours. At that time, I co-founded a design team composed entirely of female members in Chicago. We learned business things, such as wage negotiation, copyright law, reporting skills to the board of directors and so on. These are all things that I didn't learn in the school of design, because they are not directly related to making the best design works.

Finally, I changed from a company overtime dog to an entrepreneur, which not only improved my quality of life, but also made me understand that design is the process that really affects enterprises.

When you understand the life cycle and every link behind the operation of an enterprise, you will begin to see which parts of the enterprise can benefit from creative work and which parts sound interesting but have no practical effect. In this way, you can not only work smarter, but also become an indispensable part of the enterprise, not just a design lion or process that keeps banging on the computer.

3. When I rethink the nature of work.

Stephen Ango, co-founder of Mi Lu.

I majored in evolutionary biology in college, and later found that design is actually a good career. I never thought that design could be my job before. I have always been interested in making websites, interfaces and various art forms, but I have never regarded them as real "jobs". The change happened after I visited a Muji shop in Shanghai. I realize that the work of some people in the world determines the way things around us are made. This is a life-changing moment-I began to want to engage in industrial design. However, it is quite difficult to make such a change. After I got my degree in biology, I applied for internships with more than 50 design companies in the United States, but all of them were rejected because of lack of experience. The world closed a door for me and opened a window for me. Then I worked as an intern in a great design company in Holland. This experience strengthened my determination to pursue design, and I have been engaged in design since then.

In Mi Lu, my biological background still affects my way of thinking. For example, I often seek more scientific methods and pay more attention to organization when solving problems. This way of thinking is of great help to my progress. In addition, natural selection is the mode I chose in the process of developing several generations of products. If you can't make good use of the existing knowledge in every iteration, how can you improve the product?

In my opinion, it is very important for everyone to choose their own interests and keep a strong curiosity about the internal operation mechanism. Traditional education focuses on "solving problems" rather than "finding problems". "Being good at finding interesting and important questions is a skill in itself. As I study a certain field more and more deeply, I will keep asking why. "

4. When I am at a standstill

Trevor Bassett, Senior Designer of Starbucks

I used to work in a small and depressed brand agency. At that time, I felt that my work was not taken seriously and there was almost no room for development. I don't feel encouraged at work and my mood is getting lower and lower. All this stems from my taciturn and inaccessible leader. After two years, I realized that I needed to improve myself, so I decided to leave this company. I have a firm belief, but I am not fully prepared except for my previous work experience as an interior designer. But I'm interested in getting me back to my old job.

During this time, I am free to try new things, but I am hesitant about whether to put into full-time work immediately. Before joining Starbucks, I signed a contract with Outdoor Research, an outdoor professional brand, for nearly a year, and I have been working there for two years. This is a perfect choice for me, and I am very happy to be an interior designer again.

I used to work in a small company, so moving to an office with about 5000 people is a big change for me. There are many talented artists in this team. Appreciating your different works allows me to explore new styles in my own works and challenge myself in an unprecedented way. In retrospect, I wish I had followed my heart and left early. If things don't go well, I think it's important to work hard and find a way out in time.

When I face the change of environment.

Nina Hans, co-founder and creative director of Workday Studio.

I took a five-month trip around the world with my current business partner and life partner. During the trip, we thought about what it's like to work for others and what we want to do for ourselves. The idea of "working day studio" was born during that trip.

Our studio has five core values, only one of which is related to design. Time management, emotional intelligence, problem-solving ability, conflict-solving ability, persistence ability, adaptability and enthusiasm have the same influence on my work as my actual design skills. Keeping your word, punctuality and trustworthiness can help you stand out, get repeat customers and a lot of recommendations. Although it sounds utilitarian, it does help our studio to grow in a short time and gain a firm foothold in the industry.

Since the establishment of the working day studio, my life has taken on a new look. Now I focus on getting to know my customers, their customers and their competitors as much as possible. I think one of the biggest advantages of our studio is to listen to and understand the needs and pain points of customers and solve them through our design.

When I realized I could do more.

Sara Woolsey, creative director of Richer and Poorer

During my first six years as a fashion designer, I gradually realized that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in front of a computer. Work experience is a great plus for a designer's career, but I want to participate more in the overall brand strategy in a smaller company. I know that designing clothes is not the only important task of running a successful clothing company.

So in 20 12, when the company I worked for asked me to choose between promotion and resignation, I told the manager that my husband and I had been planning a long trip, and my answer was self-evident.

We traveled in our Volkswagen for three months. On the way, we met some people who left their previous lives and walked on the road. But it's really hard for me to make such a change. On the way, when our van broke down, I almost had a nervous breakdown. When I began to accept that this was only part of our adventure, I finally began to learn to enjoy and experience it. I not only learned to let go, but also learned to treat my work in different ways. For a long time, I found myself trying to sum up a specific criterion: what a designer should be, what a designer should pursue, and let myself follow it. I should try to take every trip or work experience as an opportunity to discover my passion. This makes me more aware of what I work for every day. This decision finally made me a freelance designer and spent all my spare money on travel-travel is the process of creative fermentation for me. Six years later, these accumulations made me where I am now.

I find that we are often the most critical critics of ourselves. We need to be kind to ourselves.

7. When I lost my job

Christian Thumangan, product designer of Meteorological Company.

I started my career as a graphic designer, engaged in printing and marketing at the same time. When I work in an online marketing agency, I want to know more about our customers and their users, and how they build their own products and businesses.

I began to participate in user experience workshops and communicate with designers, which changed me from graphic design to user experience design. I also began to study some part-time UX courses in institutions like the General Assembly and UCLA. I was fired in class. Although it sounds unfortunate, it actually urges me to strive for more opportunities outside my comfort zone. In these activities, I was lucky enough to be hired as a product designer and work in a meteorological company.

After this transformation, I began to engage in user experience design to meet one challenge after another. These new experiences have made me a more compassionate problem solver and designer.

In the process, I also realized that taking time to immerse myself in curiosity can not only help you learn new knowledge, but also give you unexpected opportunities. Those who want to make changes, please don't stop moving forward, strive to become professionals in the industry and always be curious about new things.

When I heard the boss's encouragement.

Brooklyn East broschi, freelance photographer

Photography has always been my favorite. Since 1 1 picked up the 35mm camera, it has become a natural extension of my arm. But when I went to college, I decided to study for a degree in graphic design-because I found that photography was not suitable for me. I didn't think I could be a famous photographer in such a competitive field, so I got a job in visual merchandising in a Hawaiian surfing company. However, that photography dream has been haunting me and tormenting me. Three years later, I began to think about how to become a freelance photographer. I know that if I want to make a change, I must go all out.

My boss knows that my heart has gone elsewhere, and she encourages me to move on and pursue my dream and become a full-time photographer. I am very grateful to her for this, because I was full of panic about the future. I have been questioning my ability and self-worth. To tell the truth, her promotion changed the trajectory of my life.

I start from the basics, and I feel lucky to be able to do what I like every day. In the process of this transformation, I learned to give up the words stability and security. I also realized that I didn't have nothing. I am fully capable of controlling my life and realizing my dreams.

Although the lifestyle of freelancing is not suitable for everyone, I encourage people to pursue what they love persistently. I believe that our souls will never be at peace until we live our true selves. So please seize the opportunity of change.

9. When I really started to look at myself.

Susan Tsai, designer and illustrator

In my career, I have experienced many different types of companies-from traditional companies to agencies and start-ups When I worked in one of the institutions, I benefited a lot. At that time, because of frequent rotation of projects, new teams were constantly formed. However, it is difficult for me to learn to be happy with my new colleagues. In my working life, I realize that constant arguments can't solve any problems. I can't change other people's behavior or feelings, but I can change the way I deal with problems.

I began to record the time of the conflict in my mind and began to ask myself how I felt at that time and why it affected me so much. Then I take a step back and consider the feelings of my colleagues or customers. What is the possible motive behind their words, good or bad? The key to everything is to think about whether there is a satisfactory way to deal with this situation from everyone's point of view.

After such a change, I began to think from the standpoint of customers and colleagues. I feel much better after this. This means that whenever someone raises a sharp topic or question, I will not subconsciously open my self-defense or lose my temper, but deal with the problem in a humorous and relaxed way, which creates a positive space. At the same time, people around us began to learn to deal with emergencies gently.

This process helped me learn to be patient with others and myself. My reaction to a situation will also greatly affect the reaction of others to me. At the same time, I also learned to trust others. I believe that most people don't have ulterior motives, they are just doing their best to do a good job.

When I stop complaining.

Artie goodrich, set designer, photographer and founder of Xinxin Company.

I recently made a change and opened a school in our new studio. We call it Saturday school. For our work, my partner Sean and I have completed many projects together, including set design, photography, animation and film production. Our studio is near cypress park in Los Angeles, and we think we can share it with the community.

Sean and I have been envious of the cool side of other cities for years, because Los Angeles lacks this feeling. We are eager for more educational resources and opportunities to meet like-minded artists.

We got rid of the negative feelings about Los Angeles by opening a school. We invited some artists we have never met into the studio, taught them our experience for 20 years, and had a wonderful discussion on art, creativity and cooperation. Last class, we had music lessons and portrait illustrations. Our friend john powers is in charge of music performance, and there are 15 people in our class. The tuition they pay is used to pay for models and musicians, which is really cool. These models and musicians can spend two hours in class and impart valuable knowledge to a group of young artists while getting paid.

Los Angeles often makes people feel lonely. By opening schools, we feel closer to the city. We can use our skills to invite our friends to share their talents with the people present. This is also an effective way to reduce the time cost of our investment in commercial projects. Advertising will eventually make you feel a little empty.

If you have negative feelings about the community where you live, it's up to you to make changes. I know most people don't have a studio to share, but this is what we must provide. Imagine participants sharing their troubles and meeting new collaborators, which is enough to make me feel wonderful and incredible.

The picture is from unsplash.com.

-Andrei Huspeni headed the ball.