The mindset of a great graphic designer

1. RECOGNIZE OTHER DESIGNERS WHO ARE BETTER

What does this mean? Well, unless you are the superman of design, which you probably are not, otherwise you would not be reading this article, there will always be a graphic designer who is better, more original or just a better businessman than you. You must recognize these people and learn from them. Analyze their work, their thought process, and how they present themselves online.

We are lucky to work in a business that is primarily internet based, so we have virtually unlimited learning resources. Join design communities like Dribbble, Behance and DeviantArt. Not only are they good for viewing and posting projects, but they also allow you to meet new people, possibly even friends. Swallow your pride, recognize other designers and grow with their help.

2. PLAN YOUR DAY TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

This is probably one of the most important qualities that a designer should have. Plan your daysDon’t get up at 11 in the morning and waste half your day doing nonsensical things. Be Productive! It is very easy to get lost on the Internet. Spend countless hours just browsing, finding interesting things, and slowly allowing time to run out. I’m not saying you have to work 7 a.m. M. A 9 p. M., Not much less. We all need time to relax. I mean spending time on ridiculous things that distract and don’t help anyone.

I like to plan my day or maybe even a few days in advance every Sunday night before going to bed. Set your goals during the week and think about how you are going to achieve those goals. I’m not saying you have to be a workaholic and spend all day in Photoshop or Illustrator, this could even have a negative effect. Learn to manage your time and your work will improve too.

3. THE POWER OF “NO”

This topic is easily explained with a few simple examples.

1. You just did an amazing logo design for a client. You present the logo to the client and he wants you to make some changes. But these changes will make your logo much worse and at that point you realize that the client has no taste and is going to ruin your work.

Solution: First things first, try to reason with the client, use valid arguments. Make him realize that your profession is that of graphic designer and that you have studied and worked hard for years to reach this level.

2. You’re working on a website for a client, but he wants to be constantly involved in the process and he’s making you make a million changes, all of them for free. The website is taking longer than expected and its price was not set correctly for that project.

Solution: Explain your situation to the client and try to reason with him. Explain to the client that many changes will cost more or give him a limited number of changes that you are willing to make. Note that this is also partially your fault, because you did not explain the work process in the initial meeting, otherwise this would not happen.

How to prevent all these problems before they happen? Most of these problems can be prevented during the first meeting with the client. Explain your work process, possible additional costs and what is included in your work. Think of all possible scenarios and avoid them, before they happen. If you think the customer is nothing more than a problem, you always have the option to decline the job. Choose the job you want to do, it is better to do less work and more quality, than more work less quality. Trust me, it’s worth it in the long run.

4. Take the day off and refill your creative juices

Designing in your little corner for days and feeling burned out? Take the day off and relax. But you think you can’t, because you have a lot of work to do and you can’t afford to lose a day. WRONG! Designing things in a tired state is never good. Your work suffers, your body suffers, your speed suffers, and the end product can never be this good. Make sure you approach each project in a relaxed state with 100% of everything you have.

Remember that every project you finish is a reflection of your abilities and skills.. Future clients will consider these projects and base their decision on it. One day is nothing compared to having a portfolio full of projects that you can be proud of and you know you gave them everything you have to offer.

5. EDUCATION AND PERSISTENCE

I’d like to start this topic with a simple quote from Stephen Richards:

“If you don’t have perseverance, no education, talent or genius can make up for it.”

I have a diploma, I know everything there is to know. Yes of course. No matter what education you have, you will never stop learning and you will never stop improving. It is simply the nature of this business and the reason we love it. It is changing and developing so fast that everyone needs to be vigilant and keep up with their education.

So what can I do to educate myself more?

Read articles, join design communities, attend tech events, chat with other designers … If you do some of these activities on a daily basis, you will automatically be kept informed.

The other thing is perseverance. To be a successful graphic designer, you really need be hungry for it. Seeing design as a chore and not a passion is a recipe for failure. Sure we all have projects that we are not crazy to work on, but as long as you like what you do, you should have no problem being persistent and overcoming all the problems that you find in your way.