"I want to choose one thing - but I have many interests."
Do you, like many others have many different interests? Are you afraid to choose one thing? You should choose one thing because It will lead you to the next BIG thing.
Pictured above, Packaging design project in collaboration with other designer while in college.
Just like you I have many interests.
Story Time:
When I was in college I had three majors and two minors. People called me ambitious. I really thought I wanted to do all the majors, but as I look back now; even when I was wrong about what I thought I wanted, I see the invaluable impact of simply choosing something and seeing where it takes you. The first major I began to work on was biology.
However, I soon learned that I didn't want to be a biologist. I enjoyed knowing how the human body functions, but I wanted nothing to do with the bodily fluids, diseases, or any other thing that can potentially gross me out. I dropped that major after the first semester.
The next major I chose was occupational therapy with a concentration on physical fitness. I took psychology classes, and really fun fitness classes like swimming and yoga, but I ended up dropping the major after the second semester was over. Now all the while I was taking a few fine art classes in between.
My high school was a fine arts school and I absolutely loved every class I took. Black and white photography (even though developing film was creepy, the way the images just "appeared") digital photography, 3d sculpting, ceramics, drawing, painting, airbrush and having the chance to collaborate with other people. I had missed that. I feel that I've always had a predisposition towards the arts, but was always told by many people, "Art doesn't bring an income to live off of. What will you do to have money?"
Well after the first two semesters in college, I changed my major once more. While I was looking for Architecture I stumbled across industrial design. I took a few classes and absolutely loved it. I ended up transferring to a different school with better resources. I learned that there are many other ways to making a living doing art and design work. It's all about knowing how a professional designer works, and if you're not sure how or what that looks like we will talk more about that soon.
So I've told you a bit about my past in terms of high school and college, but the question still remains: How did I narrow down my many interests down to making hand lettering my niche?
See I still have a love for industrial and product design. Packaging design is also captivating. I can't help but be interested in design. I love thinking about the life cycle of the product and where the product will end up. I firmly believe that good design helps to improve one's life. So for me lettering is a good start, I can help people with their branding, logo design and other forms of art. I'll be looking for ways to collaborate with other people, and finding ways to bring my other interests like footwear design, and product design into hand lettering.
Choosing one focus will help connect me to other people, and build relationships.
Need help narrowing down? Make a list of all the things you'd like to do. (my list is below)
- hand bag designer
- footwear design at least design one line
- collaborate with a fashion designer for a product
- travel and experience other cultures
- have a podcast documenting people's stories
- write a book
- teach
- have my own design studio (donia studio is now an LLC!)
Next, choose one. Wait are you serious, YES I am very serious. Choose one - and start from there. You'll find that you either romanticized the thought of doing this one thing and you really don't like the process of it, or that you love it and you'd like to find other ways to do more of it.
Make your list and share with me the one thing you are going to focus on. Can't wait to hear from you!
I firmly believe that good design helps to improve one's life.
PRO TIP: Answer this question for yourself - What's the thing you can do the best that you like the most? What's the cross section? - This is probably what you should be doing with your time.