How to stay motivated as a designer
Whatever field you are in, staying motivated as a creative can be difficult. It certainly requires ambition and inspiration to continue to create and thrive within your field. Even though there are many obstacles, there are certainly solutions to overcome a lack of motivation.
Set Goals
Having no goal is almost like walking through the woods at night without a torch. As a creative, you have to know what you want, or at least know where you want to be in a few years to come. Writing down your goals and visualising it sounds cliché right, but it is the truth and nothing but the truth. Start of with writing down where you want to be in X years, and then ask your self what steps will you need to carry out daily to get to that position.
Once that is done, always look back in order to stay on track and subconsciously keep stay on track. Remember, try and start with realistic achievable goals (but also ambitious). When these are achieved, little by little you are boosting your confidence for the bigger things yet to come.
Just Create.
Procrastination is your biggest enemy. When not working on client commission, It’s common to feel as if you have no idea what to create, and you may end up just staring at your computer for several minutes - possibly hours. Assuming you now have your goals written down, this will align your focus by knowing what is important for you in the future. For example, being a photographer, If you have a goal of an increase in monthly client engagements on your website, it may make sense to work on your portfolio by possibly taking more pictures. It may also help to do this daily as the more your create, the better you will become and have good enough content for your website. More information can be found in a video I created about Learning logo design from home - contains information that is related to this topic.
Instagram is certainly one of the best tools you can use as a creative. Building a following is exciting but it can also keep you focused if you are using it as a designer. Typically, using Instagram as a creative may result in you posting everyday, as your followers are expecting to see your content. Instagram’s algorithm favours daily posts in order for you work to be seen by your followers. If you are not consistent with posting then your work/account will end up not being seen my many of your followers so this can be another motivating factor.
Additionally, if you find it hard to come up with creative content, it may be a good idea to sign up to a subscription email where they send you daily challenges which may make it easier for you to post on Instagram. Here are several useful sources but vary depending on what creative field you are in:
Videos
It’s the 21st century and almost everything is online. There is a lot of video content to keep you inspired or motivated. Learning online has never been so easy, with platforms such as YouTube, Domestika and LinkedIn Learning. These platforms can bring great value especially when you know what area to improve on. On YouTube, you can find a channel called TheFutur which teaches you about design and the business of design. With hundreds of videos, there is immense value that can take you to another level. Domestika also has hundreds of videos, with experts such as Sagi Haviv (from Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv) sharing value in logo design. LinkedIn learning also have many videos for any creative field, which videos are split into series by many experts.
Overall, without a doubt setting goals should be the first thing that you do. As mentioned, this will align your focus and carry out useful tasks daily. Even if you don’t feel to, try and create the smallest piece of work everyday and use platforms such as Instagram as a tool for commitment. Platforms such as YouTube and especially channels such as The Futur have incredibly valuable content which can teach you a lot about design, as well as the business of design. Platforms such as Domestika can also keep you highly motivated as it allows you to consistently learn and improve your skills, regardless on what creative field you are in.