If I think back to the beginning of my design career, this question has been the focus of my attention constantly.

How do I succeed?

The basic mistake, and this is why I am writing you this note, is this: you don’t have to prove anything to yourself.

It’s not the invoices you send or the money you make that makes you successful. I accept that if it is your focus, but that is not what determines success.

What does it mean to be successful?

This is the heart of the article. Navigating uncertainties. Learning skills that will help you to be professional and attractive in the online world?

This is the framework I have applied, wrongly, repeatedly, which I feel confident to tell you continues to work for me. And the secret is to be anachronistic.

Are you ready?

① Visualise success to you on the short, medium and long therm

Visualisation means exactly writing it down. To see it tangible. We think too much, and most of our thoughts get lost.

You have to write down now and immediately what success means to you, or would mean. And it does not depend on your seniority or expertise. How do you see yourself in a certain amount of time?

You have to visualise yourself and set goals based on

1. where you want to grow
2. why you want to change
3. what your expectations are

You have to do it once, with the gratification of returning to it and discovering the feelings that your past self has written down.

On time: no, you must not be anxious. I try to take it easy because this topic is quite tricky for many people. I don’t want to distress you. But just know in the nicest of ways, that the world is constantly changing at the speed at which you make your lunch or do a design review.

② Solve problems and make good thing for people.

This is not about you but your attitude makes a huge difference.

How you work together makes the difference.

How you articulate your emotions makes a big difference.

You are nothing without others. Be it your network (use clay.earth), your friends, your family, your clients.

Every opportunity is a way to learn new things and discover how to do good things, if you care about it.

Discover yourself as a curious person, and try to give a name to your emotions.

• What makes you angry?
• How do you want me to communicate with you?
• What do you value in a design review the most?

Having an answer to these questions shows intentionality in getting to know you as a person.

Note: if “salary” is the only thing that pops into your mind, change jobs. There are millions of other designers out there who are no better than you, but they know what they care about and why they are passionate about it.

That’s what makes you dangerous, not your own little garden.

③ Learn to say no.

“Id love to help, what about *6 months from now*”

I don’t want to take it too metaphysical. But there is one thing that you will continue to be unable to afford over time, no matter how much money you make.

I’m talking about time. Spoiler: you can’t buy the time.

In a nutshell

• How you spend your time③,
• linked to how you value success ①
• knowing what you’re passionate about②

Makes you feel aligned with a bigger vision and achieving flow will be tremendously easy.

Productivity isn’t about knowing what software X uses or what Y eats, it’s about feeling aligned and balanced in the world with what you’re doing, why, with whom and for what purpose.

I will be writing about productivity in the near future. For you eternal optimisers, I feel you, and there will be something to suit you.

Thanks for reading, it’s good to be back at some old-fashioned good writing.

The main reason I reopened a newsletter is to help navigate these uncertainties of making certain unconscious actions practical and tangible. And sharing essentials products inspiration along the way.

Consider to subscribe for more. Read you soon, 🌋