IAMNOTIAM

Getting clarity requires a pencil.

I Am Not…

…an award-winning designer.

…a well-known designer.

…a sought-after speaker at design conferences.

…in any “Best Designers of All Time” lists or articles.

…confident much of the time.

…a best-selling author.

…written about in books.

…a wealthy creator.

…on any “Up and Coming” design lists.

…on any “Fabulous Designers Over 40” lists.

…in the MOMA, or the Louvre, or the gallery down the street.

…in line for any lifetime achievement awards for my contributions to the creative landscape.

I Am…

…a role player.

…approaching two decades of design experience.

…a known quantity.

…a creative who cares (sometimes too much).

…passionate about design and the creative fields.

…a writer.

…proving that being neurodivergent is okay.

…an educator.

…wealthy.

…making 100% of my living from creative work.

…an entrepreneur.

…a partner in a successful studio.

…approaching 12 years of not having to call anyone “boss”.

…a Creative Warrior.

…attempting to make an impression on the next generation of creatives.

…conscious of my spiritual need.

…a husband, a father, and a human.

…satisfied.

Call it a checklist. Call it a mission statement. Call it a manifesto. The label applied to this does not really matter. Sometimes we just need to take stock. It’s not about the shiny destination filled with fanfare and accolades. It’s about the journey — the get-up, fall down and do it again and again journey. Why? Because you love what you do.

Perhaps taking stock or checking in is about taking a step down from the pedestal we can sometimes put ourselves on, or maybe it’s about pulling us up from deep below the earth — raising ourselves from the darkness of our own thoughts. Again, it does not matter.

Checking in or taking stock or whatever you want to call it is about getting clear, getting a bit of humility, and getting a bit of perspective. What can be better than that?

I hope you enjoyed this article. It’s just one example of the weekly pieces I write for my newsletter, PastTense. If you’re interested in design, creativity, running a small creative studio, or are just a creative professional who enjoys reading, then you should join us.