Creativity, Perceptions and Muhammad Ali
Last week my friend, who works in the corporate world, looked gloomy. He was dreading his periodic evaluation from his boss. I saw him again today, and he looked like a new man. His boss had given him a better than expected review. After my own exodus from the corporate world three years ago, I'm struck by how strange this whole feedback game is. It seems so foreign to me now, and so unnatural. I suspect that not only are our identities somehow entangled in this artificial web of perceptions, but our ability to design from the heart as well.
Here's another example. This summer I was talking to a designer about contributing her thoughts and ideas to BLANK. Her work is very, very good, and I highly respect her perspective and experience in the field. She has ideas about design that can help us discover how design touches the heart. Yet, she was hesitant to share her thoughts under her own name in a public forum lest her former professors at a prestigious design school and her current professional peers read them. Why, I wonder? Has our identity become so entrenched in what others/clients think about us that we are unable to pursue what's in our hearts to do? Does our pedigree (e.g. graduating from a prestigious school; how many design awards we've won, how many big name firms we've worked for or million dollar ad campaigns directed) hinder us from venturing into new creative areas for fear of tarnishing our reputation? Are all these things keeping us from fully expressing our God-given creativity?
Noted designer Stefan Sagmeister say's, "Trying to look good limits my life." And limits our creativity too. What would happen if there were no performance evaluation systems at work? Would our creativity go up, down, stay the same? What if we didn't have to live up to expectations created by our past accomplishments? Would we venture into areas where our passion is high but so is the risk of failure?
For years, writers have assumed pen names (e.g. Samuel Clements as Mark Twain), athletes have shed their birth names (e.g. Cassius Clay as Muhammad Ali) and actors, musicians and people in other professions have done the same. Why? I think it's because our creativity is directly related to our understanding of who we are. If we become mired in the perceptions of others or even worse, our own perceptions, we'll find it more and more difficult to connect with our passion. We must begin to see ourselves as God sees us...co-creators in His Creation, masterfully made to design with passion for a purpose.
Here's another example. This summer I was talking to a designer about contributing her thoughts and ideas to BLANK. Her work is very, very good, and I highly respect her perspective and experience in the field. She has ideas about design that can help us discover how design touches the heart. Yet, she was hesitant to share her thoughts under her own name in a public forum lest her former professors at a prestigious design school and her current professional peers read them. Why, I wonder? Has our identity become so entrenched in what others/clients think about us that we are unable to pursue what's in our hearts to do? Does our pedigree (e.g. graduating from a prestigious school; how many design awards we've won, how many big name firms we've worked for or million dollar ad campaigns directed) hinder us from venturing into new creative areas for fear of tarnishing our reputation? Are all these things keeping us from fully expressing our God-given creativity?
Noted designer Stefan Sagmeister say's, "Trying to look good limits my life." And limits our creativity too. What would happen if there were no performance evaluation systems at work? Would our creativity go up, down, stay the same? What if we didn't have to live up to expectations created by our past accomplishments? Would we venture into areas where our passion is high but so is the risk of failure?
For years, writers have assumed pen names (e.g. Samuel Clements as Mark Twain), athletes have shed their birth names (e.g. Cassius Clay as Muhammad Ali) and actors, musicians and people in other professions have done the same. Why? I think it's because our creativity is directly related to our understanding of who we are. If we become mired in the perceptions of others or even worse, our own perceptions, we'll find it more and more difficult to connect with our passion. We must begin to see ourselves as God sees us...co-creators in His Creation, masterfully made to design with passion for a purpose.
posted by fivemcclungs at 9:15 AM
4 Comments:
Fine line. God also made us social, relational creatures. I don't think it's realistic to completely ignore what others think of us.
But I do know what you mean. I have kind of a reverse experience of how expectations affect us.
I work for a non-profit organization. Somehow the creative department has turned into the production department. I have often felt that my expertise, education, and skills are undervalued. The main goal is to make the product look pretty and get it out the door as fast as humanly possible (or faster.)
Since I started this job straight out of college, I've often wondered how it's affecting my identity as a designer. I'm not challenged to create meaningful designs, to think in terms of beauty and excellence, and true communication.
And I still get frustrated when I'm not appreciated, even though I don't want to be complaining.
Sorry for the long comment, this really resonated with me!
I feel for you. Ultimately, we have to live with our design...good or bad, inspired or uninspired. They (the client, bosses, etc.) will just go on to the next product or project.
I've often thought that educating the client (whether in house or out) about design's role is very important. How to do that without talking down to them or boring them is another matter altogether.
We often hear "Don't spend any time on it, just get it done." The problem our bosses/clients don't seem to understand is, that is impossible for us designers. I can't not care about how it looks. If I could stop caring, believe me, I would!
No, I wouldn't. Because you are right, it's important. I think educating folks is a good solution too, but as you said, how to make it actually happen... Either we come off arrogant, or they don't really believe us.
God's grace really needed in this case...
It is amazing how postive feedback can effect ones passion for there job and level of resilience. Providing positive feedback is so simple and effective -- yet it is often not provided. The same effect can be mimiced with caffeine yet, shaky hands make sketching difficult. It is refreshing to be reminded that self-worth is not defined by ones job performance.
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