- Empathy goes a long way. What motivators, challenges or pressures are the people around you experiencing? Nothing is done in a vacuum. Stay aware of how your actions might impact others.
- Before anything else, define what success is to you. Otherwise you’ll have no idea if you’re headed towards it or in the opposite direction.
- Don’t sweat getting off course; it’s natural to stray now and then. As long as you regularly check in to correct a path that’s not headed in the right direction, it’s not a big deal.
- Figure out your most important goals and use them to guide daily decisions.
- Life, like design, is full of trade-offs. There will always be difficult decisions. Maybe you can have it all, but probably not all at the same time. Prioritize wisely.
- Iterate constantly. Being too attached to your current way of thinking is a rut in the making. Identify what works and what doesn’t and be prepared to scrap something and start over. Be open to new approaches and possibilities.
- How well something works is important, but never underestimate how much a visually pleasing space can impact mood and emotions. Clear out clutter and let the sun shine in.
- People often express needs as solutions. Taking the time to identify the underlying need first always pays off by providing both a better understanding and a better solution.
- Get comfortable rejecting the status quo. Think things through and ask “why?”
- Perfection is elusive. Find and befriend your “good enough“.