[or Failure Is Overrated]
We're getting into the swing of the semester and tensions are running high. It's time to remind ourselves of where we are. We're students (you), new parents (me)... and lots of things in between.
It's also about this time that I remind students —-especially my second semester students — the value of perspective and taking it one step at a time. I often say:
"At this stage we'd rather see you hit a slow pitch over the fence than to continually foul-out fastballs".
What do I mean by that?
So, it's also worth examining at this point the many missives regarding failure. Far too many folks have applauded the value of failure, but I'll throw on to the fire that it is a good bit overrated. Continued failure at this stage really only teaches you one thing: how to fail (and how much failure sucks). It also does much more than that by undermining your confidence and pretty much ruining your day.
In your early classes, and even in some of your later ones, you need to begin to find out what success looks and feels like and examine closely the steps it took you to get there. Experiencing successes, even if small (but not hollow praise), also feels good and builds confidence — who wouldn't want that? Knowing how you got there is also a crucial step to reproducing success... it becomes a "repeatable design process".
Eventually, of course, you'll fail. You'll discover that it hurts. It likely doesn't hurt as bad as you thought it might and that you can indeed pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again. However, for now, a wave that size might just put you under. You will tackle these huge projects soon enough, but for now, you need to learn to pair image with type, to pair type with type and to get your printer to act like you want it to.
Students in a culinary academy don't start off with the task of creating the most flaky and tender Beef Wellington. They start off on perfecting French onion soup.... and how to chop those onions with a deft hand. They'll eventually progress to braising and reducing a demi-glace, but not without chopping lots of onions first.
Many of you are still in the onion chopping phase, or to switch back to a sports analogy, still in the dugout. Focus on the objectives. Re-read your assignments and be clear on the rules. Do what you can to right-size your projects and your ideas. Focus on clear communication. Focus on harmony, hierarchy and balance. Focus on images that aren't pixelated when you print them out. From there, you'll get to the big stuff, but if you continually foul-out every time you step up to the plate you're not doing yourself any good.
At least that's my opinion. I know a lot of folks have a POV on failure (and success). What's yours?
Comments