Do not be afraid ... If you're like me, as soon as you pronounce that sentence, you start to worry.
Maybe you do not need that. Fear is an integral part of the life of a graphic designer: afraid of not getting there, of not being up to scratch, afraid of rejection ...
I will not teach you how to eliminate these fears: they are part of you, they may even feed your art. On the other hand, I will help you no longer to be overwhelmed by them.
Fight the fear of failure
Let's make that clear: everyone is afraid to crash.
Whether you start in your trade or have been practicing for several years, whether you are a rock star or a cashier. As soon as we invest a minimum in what we do, worry occurs.
It may be jitters or just the realization that no one is perfect and everyone can make mistakes. And this is perhaps the way to begin thinking so as not to let this fear paralyze you: an error is not a failure.
Sometimes you may not be able to do a job that you are ordered to do, which does not mean you will never succeed again. Instead, consider this pitfall as an apprenticeship. Certainly, not pleasant, but that will be useful to you to become even better.
Here are two additional tips to ensure that these missteps on your way to success do not make you want to curl up in the back of your bed:
* Train first without showing others what you are producing.
Then gradually widen the audience, starting with a circle of intimates that will encourage you. It's always easier to face failure when it's not public.
* Go step by step. If you have never set up a graphic identity for a big company, you risk being paralyzed by the fear of not getting there.
Agree to start smoothly, to gain confidence in your abilities.
Put away your fear of change
When your creative career begins to take off, when outsiders appreciate your style, it becomes very comfortable to continue in the same way. Left to dig yourself ruts where your creative mind will slowly fade.
Whatever art you practice, you need, at least punctually, to test new things, new modes of expression, new techniques.
Here's how not to encroach on you:
* Make something new with old stuff. Combine what you master, what you do, with these new methods. So, you will not be too confused, but you will continue to evolve.
* Move forward masked. If your main fear is that your usual customers or fans are no longer following you, try these new practices under an assumed name.
You will be able to savor the public reactions of the new look, which will not make a comparison with your other productions.
Bride your constraints fear
A creative profession, it involves work.
And who says "work" also thinks of obligations, contracts ... in short, things perhaps less pleasant, at first glance. If the financial aspect is not to be ruled out, you have every right to maintain a margin of maneuver.
In order not to feel locked up too quickly, allow yourself two things:
* Do not answer right away. You have the right not to give an immediate answer when you receive a proposal. If in doubt, give yourself 24 hours to think about the positive and negative aspects of it. You will be more serene with your decision.
* Say no. If you know that this contract, this schedule, this type of customer does not suit you, you can refuse it. Because there is nothing more difficult than to work forced and forced. A refusal will help you feel more free to accept other projects.
In any case, to fight all your fears, always remember what is really at stake. No one will die if you make a mistake or if your creation is not the best in the world. The next can be.
You have the right to breathe, not to be locked up 20 hours a day in front of your notebooks. Only by taking care of yourself and your mind will you run away from your fears!