Keep Going, Day by Day

project notes and bite-size updates

Hey! Just setting up this newsletter and re-framing it into something that makes sense to me. Going to call it “Keep Going Sketchbook,” and added a little podcast to it as well.

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As a creative person that’s juggling job and family, how do you maintain that sense of curiosity and making? Well, I think the secret is to keep going, don’t stop figuring it out and definitely don’t stop sharing work. Keep your studio doors open and make time to contemplate (and really know) what you’re doing and why.

There are so many things in life and ways that your mind can try to defeat you. I mean, has that ever happened to you? You want to continue, but it is like there’s another force that’s constantly setting you up for failure or trying to over-engineer what you’re trying to figure out.

What keeps you from making and being an artist?

When studying art in college, I learned from the painter Don Crow. I always remember painting in the studio and over-complicating the work. Hard to remember the moment, but he spoke something into me about keeping it simple and to be an artist, “you just need to figure out how to keep going.”

That’s over 20 years ago and the moment is still fresh. You see, artists should continue working, but we can stumble and fall into traps that keep us from moving forward. It could be self-doubt or navel gazing that stops us. Or, simply analysis paralysis.

As I have learned the craft of user experience design, I solve complicated problems for businesses and express the solution through the lens of empathy. Businesses can’t afford to fall into the trap of not knowing what to do. As a designer, I’ve learned to juggle and hustle, shifting gears between tactical and strategic thinking.

There’s a magic that artists can bring into businesses. We’re often able to connect dots that need to be connected, but are often skipped when chasing after revenue. Deep customer empathy and the ability to drive learning through actual feedback is where artists can thrive, but we need to be able to tell stories that matter to the business.

That’s a lot, but back to it.

Here’s a diagram that shows what I do… but also all the little things I want to do. Time to keep going!

As creative people, we have to keep going, day by day. It is the little interactions and methods that we leverage to continue, even when it feels like we’re stuck in the ditch. We have to figure out how to move forward with integrity and love.

As for me, I want to see so many things come to life. So many ideas and maybes! Eventually, everything can collapse in on itself and what happens? Nothing. Zilch. Now, that’s not how it is supposed to be. There should be at least trickle or glimmer shining through, right?

That’s what “Keep Going Sketchbook” is about – moving forward, delighting in fuzzy thinking, figuring out what needs to evolve from sketch-to-concept-to-life, and discovering the joy of continuing to make something new.

Maybe, just maybe, I can focus on keeping it light, singularly focused, staying in the “sketchbook delivery mode,” and making joyful things come alive. I’m so happy to share this with you!

I guess someone will want to come along for the journey.

There must be others out there that need a nudge or inspiration to keep going. So, don’t stop. Let’s go!

Anything interesting here? Well, let your friends know!