Let’s have an open and sincere dialogue about our experiences as graphic designers. Share your regrets or lack thereof, and let’s assist aspiring designers make knowledgeable choices about their futures.
Design inspiration Tips and Tricks of the Geek World
Let’s have an open and sincere dialogue about our experiences as graphic designers. Share your regrets or lack thereof, and let’s assist aspiring designers make knowledgeable choices about their futures.
Not sure if “regret” is the right word for this. But I regret buying into the whole “you need to live, eat and breathe design” mentality”, the whole 110% passionate, design on your weekends, design after work, when I’m not working I do passionate project bullshit
It’s a job. Nothing more. And if you believe this shit you’re going to get burnt out, it’s going to affect you mentally, you’re going to shut yourself away, lose hobbies, friends and family
That mentality is not healthy, nor is it sustainable
Graphic design is my job, not my life, it is not my personality, it is not the defining aspect of my life or what makes me me. It is my career and nothing more
As for making it my career? Zero regrets about that
Seeing my packaging in stores, seeing my bays and FSDUs and counter displays, seeing billboard’s across the country that I’ve designed, seeing books on Waterstones and Asda I’ve designed, seeing websites get 250k+ traffic within 2 weeks of launch and go on to have similar steady traffic for over 12 months after, getting brochures printed and product catalogues – choosing rh stock of paper and spot UV etc, seeing companies, that I’ve done the branding for, get big and recognisable with my branding as their representation. Teaching younger designers and being a mentor, 1-1s, developing them, guidance I give, seeing them thrive and improve and even get better than me!
I absolutely love what I do and what I produce
I regret studying in the era I did. Without going over old ground in-depth had I any inkling the industry would change so much so quickly from the 2000s onwards I probably would have done something else.
The other is amount of late hours I put in in the office for what I got out of it. As grown ups, yeah, sometimes to meet a deadline you need to do it but due to ridiculous demands for a few years I missed family time, had to miss birthdays and other events… and for what? I ended up being diagnosed with work-related stress. It’s not exactly saving lives or fighting fires.
To balance that out I used to work on major public events and conferences in one role. I loved designing, managing and coordinating those projects, and would be at some of them with my time to assist where needed in a hands-on manner. Those were good times.
I regret believe the whole grind=life aspect. It’s very prevalent now, but when I was at school 10/13 years ago it was quite prevalent as well
I got into design and thought I needed to make it my life. Time I missed with family, friends, relationships lost, passion for life lost because I had to grind and be the best
If I wasn’t working on design what was I doing? Freelance to make money, but money for what? I didn’t go out or enjoy it, just accrued it, then I got down and depressed and hated my life and wasted it on alcohol and drugs because I’d dug myself a pit of unhappiness
Design is my career, it’s what I’ve trained to do as a job. It is not my life, my wife is my life, my kids and my family and my friends and my hobbies.
The grind is utter horseshit, designed to keep people down and working and suppressed, the very thing it shouts it fights against.
Design is a career where you’re lucky enough to be able to do freelance work, so if you need extra cash, marriage? House? Kids? Holiday? You can get it nicely. Do not make freelance and getting money your life though. Design is not worth your happiness, nor your sanity
As soon as I realised this, I found my love for design again. I got help with depression and improved my mental well-being and I started to love my job again, how I once did, and you know what, I wouldn’t do anything else. I love what I do, what I produce, I love seeing it in the real world, adverts, campaigns, packaging, albums, music merch, websites… I can actually see what I do for a job, it’s out here being consumed and used and seen
I regret not starting earlier.
I had some dark times early on in college that I think doing design as I entered college would’ve help my mentality. I majored in Math at a college I didn’t want to go to due to a very controlling and narcissistic girlfriend and hated it. I was 3 semesters from graduating with a Math degree. I should’ve trusted my gut instinct, I think I could’ve developed a little confidence to emotionally and mentally stand up.
Tutored as a side job as well as working at a local high school as an assistant. One thing led to another and I committed to changing my life for the better once I realized how evil my girlfriend was, switched to Graphic Design, changed schools 100 miles away, extending my college education another 3 years. I do remember thinking “I should of done this earlier”.
Anywho that was over 20+ years ago. I’m proud of where I am these days.
the only regret I have is waiting to get my degree ( this is my second career) I love what I do and I knew I would be (personally) successful in the field. I realize not everyone can say they love their job and that’s too bad. My worst day in this field is nothing compared to a bad day in the health care field ( my last job)
No.
I changed careers 25 years ago. Ups and downs of running a business. Employees, no employees, collaborative group(s) at various times. Evolution to a certain equilibrium that works.
I call it a successful decision financially for my family and for my personal state of being now at 58.
I love this job I love this job I love this job
I love what I get to do for work but regret not learning about the business and finance side of things earlier in life.
I am great at handling workload and creating but tackling the other side of things has been a tough but good crash course.
Switched to product design a few years ago after a decade plus in marketing. Much better money and enjoy the work much more.
I might have liked to have taken taken a cheaper educational route. I love my job, but it’s likely I could be where I am without a 6 figure loan.