https://designerup.co/blog/overcoming-designer-doubt/
Earlier this year, after a brief half-hour stint on Sketch - in which I succeeded only in creating a sad first attempt at a design for an Instagram post (attached below for your viewing pleasure) - I sat back in my chair, ran my hands through my now-white hair, and felt a heavy weight settle on my shoulders. I loved design, I thought I'd be great at it, and I had found an awesome internship that would allow me to stretch my design skills!
But, oh man, I was out of my depth. And the design I made was not up to my boss' expectations. (Strange color scheme, and just the word 'anthropocentrism'... I don't even remember what I was trying to convey!)
The design world can be very intimidating. You come across a site like this
or like this
and it just makes you wonder...
Will I ever be able to design something like that? How could I ever bring a design to market if I can barely get by with tools like Sketch and InVision? Will anyone ever recognize my design work?
These are all questions I'm still confronting today, even with a strong mentor and projects (or project) under my belt. Is this design adventure worth it? Can I take on a project by myself with only my own judgment and sense to rely on? Throw all these questions together and you'll get a glimpse at the anxiety I (and I'm sure many other beginners) feel whenever clicking open an app and designing.
Do I belong here?
It's a serious question that troubles plenty of newcomers taking their first steps into the Wild West that is design. Even now, after completing a few projects and committing to taking the dive into design, I still feel apprehension here and there. But give me a chance to tell you not only how I cope with this feeling, but how I've also convinced myself that I DO belong here.
Back in September this year when I first opened Sketch for the first time, I was definitely out of my depth. It was my first time on the interface after all! And, even though it's designed to be easy to use and accessible, it still took a slight learning curve to become comfortable with the software.
With that said, I definitely wasn't helping myself by thinking that I could whip up award-winning designs by my end-of-week deadline. And I certainly wasn't helping myself by comparing my designs to those award-winning websites I mentioned earlier (i.e. this and this and this). I gave myself sky-high expectations and only a week to get it done - and, considering I had never once used Sketch before, it turns out that I was setting myself up for failure.
Now, to be clear, there's nothing wrong with failure. If I hadn't failed with my first design, I never would have been as successful with my second! On top of that, there's nothing wrong with setting high expectations. Be ambitious! Shoot for the stars! It's okay to want to be the best.
But recognize that that may not happen on your first try. It may not happen on your second. Or your third! Design is a process. It's a journey of failure, success, and constant learning. Understand your limitations and set achievable goals. Have that long-term goal to work for, but recognize where you are at in your design journey! Two months into my design journey, I'm still not producing award-winning designs... but I'd definitely give myself an award for the progress I've made since early September.