I just read this list of 10 Lessons For Young Designers by Wieden+Kennedy’s Executive Creative Director, John C. Jay. And I thought they were pretty good pointers! So I thought I'd post them up too and cheekily add my own two cents, explaining why I agree with them and to give a little insight how I design. The original tip is in bold and underneath is my personal ramblings! And they're just that- I'm just a little graphic designer kid and don't claim to be anything but :) Take what you will from my thoughts xo
So here goes:

1: Be authentic. The most powerful asset you have is your individuality, what makes you unique. It’s time to stop listening to others on what you should do.
You're a big kid now- you can do whatever you want! Yay! And you don't have to listen to your design tutors anymore :p Take little (or big!) risks. Risks can still be pretty, but make something about it different and that says something about you :)

2: Work harder than anyone else and you will always benefit from the effort. 
It's not a competition (well yeah, I guess soooometimes it is) but I think time and effort spent definitely shines through, and everyone appreciates a hardworker!

3: Get off the computer and connect with real people and culture. Life is visceral.
I need to do this more. I try and go for a long walk every afternoon to break up my screen time. I'm lucky to have the flexibility to do this because I work from home, but maybe walking around the office or outside for a little bit will help refresh you. After getting my blood swimming around my body (instead of just hanging out in my legs and butt while I sit at my desk!!) and some fresh air, I'm usually excited about getting back into my design. 

4: Constantly improve your craft. Make things with your hands. Innovation in thinking is not enough.
I love doing crafty things- doesn't it help different parts of your brain work (or something)? And it's just fun! Good break from screen time too :)

5: Travel as much as you can. It is a humbling and inspiring experience to learn just how much you don’t know.
It totally is. Not knowing where you are makes you vulnerable. Not knowing the language to have basic conversation or ask basic questions makes you really vulnerable. I've learnt a lot about myself from moving to Germany and travelling to a few different places on the way. When you're in a situation like that you have to learn different ways to communicate with people- which is a really good thing! 

6: Being original is still king, especially in this tech-driven, group-grope world. 
Group-grope? Okaaaayyy (what is that?)...... I don't think you have to invent a brand new way of designing or crazy-new style- I think you can design with trends if you want to, but it's adding your own twist on something that's key. You're an original- there's no-one else like you! You're awesome! Show that in your work :)

7: Try not to work for stupid people or you’ll soon become one of them. 
Hah! But yeah I think that's probably true! If you work for people who inspire you and you respect and look up to- you'll strive to make awesome work! (For example, I admire ALL of the Freckled Nest girls alot and I want to do them PROUD!)

8: Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them. 
Use your design-gut and brainy-eyes! (sounds kinda ew..!) I think that over time your eyes get trained to spot what you personally think is ugly or pretty in design. If I've been staring at a piece of design or an illustration for ages I'll prop it up against a wall or walk away, make a cup of tea, then come back and stare at it from a distance. Ugly bits will pop out- then I fix them. Nice bits will also pop-out so I try and pinpoint what makes my eyes think its pretty! 
If I have a niggly feeling that something looks wrong, I don't doubt my design-gut-feeling, and I will make sure I fix it until I only have happy feelings about it! :)

9: The Golden Rule actually works. Do good.
This one: "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself."
If you're genuinely nice to people, use your manners, and respect others- they'll be nice back (unless they're just meanies.) Some of them might even be nice enough to offer you work! But if you be a mean, negative douchebag, you're not going to make friends. People won't think you're cool, and they won't want to work with you. It's just manners 1.0.

10: If all else fails, No. 2 is the greatest competitive advantage of any career. True story! I feel so lucky that I get to work in an area I'm actually into; I work hard because I love what I do.
But I've worked in some super craaaappy jobs. You can read them in this list if you want. Even though sometimes I hated every second of working some of those jobs, I still gave it all I had. My motto towards work is: if someone is paying you to do something, do it properly. Someone's actually paying you money to do a job, so you better give them their money's worth. (Kinda like the Golden Rule thing- I wouldn't want someone to half-ass something I was paying them for!) Money doesn't come for free. My parents could only ever afford to buy us what we needed- we had to work for money to buy stuff we wanted. As in afterschool/weekend jobs- I had 2 part-time jobs when I was 16 and I think it taught me alot about working hard to get what you want. I flipped burgers like a machine a few nights a week and washed cafe dishes on the weekend. Gooood. times :p
But then I saved up enough to buy a second-hand SLR camera so I could do Photography at school and I was SO proud of myself! (Then someone robbed my house and took it.....) But anyway- in the long run- you're usually rewarded for working like a biarch- people appreciate hard-workers.

Does anyone have anything they think should be on this list? The only other one I can think of is:

*Respect other designers/artists.
eg. You don't rip off other designers work. It's just mean and silly and rude. Celebrate great work- I tell designers/artists/crafty people if I love their work because I know how nice it is to hear! Creative people need to stick together because so much amazing work can come from collaboration! And we understand how each others crazy creative brains work! :p

xo
Zoe