The real secret to thriving is finding peace amidst the dynamic chaos
Over the years I have met many different people, but I notice that work is often associated with rushing and stress.
Stressful situations we call “dynamic”. In fact, true leaders are those whose task is to remove this feeling of stress from their team. To protect their colleagues and remove their fear when “there is danger”, and to create a “zone of safety and calmness”.
Leaders are not your basketball coach who, at the moment you are about to shoot the ball for the winning basket, screams at you: “Idiot, pull yourself together!”. They are the captain of the team who, at that moment, smiles at you and says: “Relax, baby”.
Leaders are not those who will say that a colleague is not “flexible enough” just because they didn’t answer the phone at 10:45 PM. Leaders know that the emergency number is 911.
So, take it easy
Don’t be so serious when discussing deadlines and targets.
Put aside the fear of “what will happen if we don’t succeed”. Maybe what will happen is that you will learn something new and a new world will open up before you.
I am by no means saying this to make you negligent about your work. That is something entirely different. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be inspired and passionate about what you do. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care.
It means finding balance. It means being able to prioritize, but not striking your personal life and loved ones from the equation. To know what you can compromise on and to know when to say “no”.
It is true that we create experiences and products used by hundreds of thousands and millions of people. We create feelings and memories with our designs. But at the same time, we are not brain surgeons, and few of you are designers whose decision at work will kill someone.
Many prominent and popular designers say how important design is and how important designers are. This makes us feel significant. But don’t be too quick to flatter yourselves. Let’s not think that we are doing something extraordinary. That we are more than other professions.
Think about how many incredible designers, wonderful specialists, talents who can achieve… anything, are actually working for companies that… first create a product to be sold, and then convince people how their lives are unthinkable without this product. How we create notifications so you don’t miss “something important”, how you make people’s hearts skip a beat when they hear the sound of a new notification. And after they sell you all that, they tell you: Our incredible designers created a great new functionality. We called it “Do not disturb”. And you give that to the people you’ve been disturbing. And we laugh at Ivan from Vankata’s World, who will say: “Oh, back then Khan Asparuh surely had a super retina display, didn’t he?”
Find a company that has a mission and values that are yours. Something you truly believe in and that inspires you to create incredible things.
They say that for the time you give when working for someone, it’s good to have learn and earn as compensation. When you get one of the two, it’s okay. When you get both, it’s great. But if you’re not getting either, maybe you should think seriously about it.
So, evaluate the important and significant things you can do. Because you truly can achieve anything. Don’t limit yourself. You can be something truly great. The most important thing is to be satisfied with yourself and to be happy. And to have a clear idea of what assets you have and what you are exchanging them for. “Owning a Rolex isn’t nearly as cool as owning your time.”
At the same time, come down to earth and be self-critical. Our generation is nothing special. Because thousands of years ago, even before our era, there were many, many people who were smarter, more educated, stronger, more beautiful, and more talented than us. Without being “great UI designers” and without hearing an electronic voice telling them how many more steps they need to take for the day or to “Drink water”.
“UX is a mindset.” That’s right, either you have it, or you don’t.
But know that you don’t necessarily have to become a UX designer if you have it. The truth is, you can be much, much more. It depends only on you.
Finally… have you ever wondered why students in colleges in the US often wear suits and the professor wears sneakers, while in Europe it’s the opposite?
UX job? Why so serious? was originally published in UX Planet on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
