Positive Mindset. Positive Design Process.
Like a lot of things in life, a smooth design process starts with you. Having a positive mindset means thinking positively about expectations and processes. It’s about making the best out of this exciting period of crafting new visual identities. But what is it about having a positive mindset that is so impactful on the design process?
Every day we face so much inputs – Social Media, Good News, Bad News, Art, People and so on. What you consume feeds your creativity and fuels your thinking. Focusing on positive thoughts can be hard, and doesn’t happen overnight, because after all, you are creating a new habit. It’s an ability that will take its time to evolve, and will help you to be able to handle things constructively.
Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.
– Robert Collier
The opportunity to grow.
Being a designer can be a very personal thing, we guess it’s just in our nature. We all have our own design style and working habits. It’s an essential part of your job to stay objective, and handle criticism professionally and positively. Design is such a subjective thing, there’s no right and wrong. Look at it this way – it is criticism that keeps you grounded, and it is criticism that helps you evolve. In the business world, overreacting emotionally won’t help you find the right solution. Try to listen to your clients carefully and gain a better understanding of what they really want. Try to put yourself in their place to understand them. Rather than settling for what you’re used to, use this gut feeling to take your work experience to the next level. Personally, what also helps us to keep a clear, focused mind, is to start a project with the intention to learn. We see criticism as an opportunity to grow as designers.
Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.
– Willie Nelson
The importance of positivity and humility
We also know, trusting a Designer or Design Studio with your ideas and visions is a huge step and takes a lot of strength. Throughout the process you’re going to encounter results, you might not like, simply because there’s no perfect design. Whenever you encounter such a challenge, focus on your insights, trust your intuition and maybe let go and think about the thrill of trying something new. Sometimes it’s the willingness to slow down the process and to work on something for a longer period time than you expected, that leads to great creative outlet. Once it’s your turn to give feedback, do not underestimate the importance of positivity and humility. Some positive words will sink in and affect a designers mind to be re-energized, and to put those good vibes into the design. A constructive feedback is worth so much, and some kind words will encourage anyone to do their magic.
Positivity is rooted in gratitude
The more we practice positivity, the more benefits of it we will realize. Developing a truly positive mindset and gaining plenty of creative input is such a gift for both, the designer and the client. The impact of positivity is huge, it helps to turn ideas into reality efficiently, and leads to quality output in the long run. Working on your mindset starts with daily inspirations and learning new principles, ideas and perceptions. Take some time for breaks, education, connection and meditation. This can help you to stay calm when it comes to challenging situations, such as presenting your ideas to a client – or deciding on what’s your creative direction for the future.
Remember, positivity is also essential for a successful, and authentic business. Rooted in gratitude, it helps to attract your audience naturally, simply because you add a positive feeling to their everyday lives. By expressing your appreciation, you are able to create a strong bond with them. Regardless of what you are doing, keep up your enthusiasm and relate with people that lift you up. Taking smalls steps towards positive thinking, and learning new habits can lead to remarkable changes at the end of the day.
