7 TIPS to (Stop Procrastinating) Start your Designer Dream

The Dream Killer: Procrastination

Procrastination is the silent assassin of dreams.
Many individuals desire instant results but shy away from exploring the path to achieve them.

This raises a crucial question: Do they truly want it?

Tip 1: Don’t Let Your Dreams Paralyze You

Dreams are powerful, but they can be deceptive.
They create an illusory world of success where you’re the hero.
This fictional narrative, while emotionally satisfying, can be dangerous.

You might spend hours crafting glorious scenarios – imagining yourself as a skilled sketcher, working for top industries, running your own design studio, effortlessly bringing your ideas to life, achieving fame, and becoming the next design icon.

However, this escapism often leads to inaction.

Vision and Action: A Balancing Act

“Vision without action is a daydream, action without vision is a nightmare.” – Japanese proverb

The fear of facing reality, where failure is possible,
keeps you from taking concrete steps towards learning design
or improving your sketching skills, despite your passion for it.

The common refrain becomes: “I’ll start tomorrow.”
But the day later, still nothing happened.

Let’s embark on a journey to transform your resolutions into achievements you can be proud of.

Moving Forward

It’s time to stop deceiving yourself.
You have the potential; now it’s time to act.

Don’t remain trapped in a “dream loop” that keeps you from real success.
Remember, you have the physical capability – two arms, ten fingers.

The question is: Do you prefer watching others succeed, or do you want to be among the successful?

The Danger of Inaction

Dreaming without action inevitably leads to profound frustration.

Tip 2: Avoid “Intelligent Procrastination”

The Trap of “Intelligent Procrastination”

Do you find yourself:

• Buying numerous books?
• Spending hours researching the latest graphic tablets?
• Watching countless tutorials?
• Searching for the perfect pen?
• Accumulating art supplies?

Yet, you never seem to find time for what truly matters: Sitting down, focusing, and drawing.

The Information Overload

In our digital age, inspiration is everywhere.
Social media feeds us endless images, and we scroll through them at lightning speed, calling it “inspiration”.
But how many of these fleeting images do you remember after just 10 minutes?

While it’s great to feel inspired by other artists and designers, and the tools they use, the sheer volume of information available has become a distraction.

There’s no filter, and we rarely allow ourselves a moment of boredom or reflection.

Simplify Your Drawing Tools

Stop buying endless art supplies that your pen case can’t contain.
Focus on two simple things:

• Printing paper
• A ballpoint pen

These basic tools are all you need to start turning your inspiration into tangible progress.

No Focus, no Progress

Remember: There’s no magic or innate talent.
Success requires three key elements:

• Method
• Practice
• Dedication

Without focus or direction, you’re just “kicking the wind”.
While the previous tip addressed doing nothing but dreaming, “Intelligent Procrastination” involves doing too many things blindly with no plan.

It creates an illusion of productivity, but are you really making progress?

The Path Forward

There’s a time for seeking inspiration, whether from books, movies, social media, or the street.
But it’s only valuable if you also pick up the nearest pen and start drawing.

Don’t let the search for perfection prevent you from taking action.
Start now, with what you have, and watch your skills grow through consistent practice.

Action to Take

For this tip: Stop consuming endless information.
You can’t absorb it all anyway.

Instead:

• Select a few inspirations you love
• Start sketching based on these inspirations
• Remember: Consuming less allows you to produce more without feeling overwhelmed
• There is time for looking for inspiration in any media of your choice : books, movies, social media, street…
• But it is only worth if you also take the first pen you can see and draw.

Tip 3: Embracing Your Childhood Dream

The Power of Childhood Creativity

As children, we approached drawing with unbridled enthusiasm and joy.
We created without fear of failure, reveling in the pure pleasure of artistic expression.

The Adult Dilemma

As we grow older, a shift occurs.
We begin to believe that adult creations should be flawless, leading to hesitation in sharing our work.
This self-imposed pressure often results in procrastination, pushing our creative passions into the shadows.

The Christopher Robin Syndrome

Many of us unknowingly become like Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh.
We suppress our genuine, childlike behavior in favor of what we perceive as adult responsibility.

This transition can lead to a struggle in fully enjoying adult life, as we swap passion for a “responsible” existence.

Rediscovering Your Artistic Self

Remember: If you find sketching challenging, it’s not due to lack of talent.
It’s simply because you haven’t been taught properly.

Embracing Your Inner Child

Cherish your childhood dreams more than your adult aspirations. Approach creativity with a light heart and embrace self-deprecating humor.

Moving Forward

Don’t let adult expectations stifle your creativity.
Reconnect with the joy and fearlessness of your childhood artistic endeavors.

Remember, it’s never too late to learn, grow, and rediscover the pleasure of creating without judgment.

Tip 4: Don’t Let Adult Problems Mislead You

The Divergence of Dreams and Reality

How many of us dream of becoming artists or designers, only to end up as unenthusiastic engineers or frustrated 3D artists? How many complain about their current situations while yearning for something different?

The Creative Aspirations

Many of us wish to:

• Sketch crazy ideas from our imagination all day long
• Share our drawings with the world
• Wake up every morning excited for the design job we love!

Yet, we often find ourselves studying or working in engineering or other corporate domains that don’t align with these passions.

Reassessing Your Path

In this tip, I urge you to seriously reconsider your passion.
Weigh the prospect of pursuing your passion as a livelihood against working solely for a living.

A Linguistic Perspective

It’s worth noting that the French word for “work” is “travailler,” which originally meant “torture.”
This etymology offers an interesting reflection on how we view work versus passion.

Moving Forward

Don’t let adult problems and fears steer you away from your true passions.
Take time to reflect on what truly drives you and consider how you can align your career with your creative aspirations.

Remember, it’s never too late to pursue what you love.

Tip 5: Don’t Trade Your Dream for a “Safe Exit”

The Allure of the Safe Path

You often wonder how your life would be if you had pursued your dream of becoming a designer – a dream you had before university or even during design school. But doubts crept in.

You thought you couldn’t make a living from your sketches, so you opted for a “safe job” like 3D specialization or advanced engineering.

The Frustration of Unfulfilled Potential

Today, you find yourself unable to sketch or visually express your ideas to colleagues, clients, or managers. This inability is deeply frustrating, akin to being mute in a world of visual communication.

Believe in Your Potential

For this tip, I urge you to believe in yourself and your ability to acquire skills.
If others have succeeded in pursuing their creative dreams, you can too!

The “safe option” defined by parents, friends, or society might actually be the dangerous one for a passionate individual like yourself. Are you meant for a “prisoner life”, or an exciting life?

Embracing Your Unique Nature

As a passionate creative, you are a different species.
This is why you may often feel misunderstood. Remember:

You do not only need fresh water and food to live.
You want to be happy, and you find that happiness in your expression of creativity.

The True Risk

The real risk isn’t in pursuing your passion; it’s in neglecting it.
A life lived without following your creative dreams can lead to long-term dissatisfaction and regret.

Taking the Leap

It’s never too late to start pursuing your design dreams.
Begin by dedicating time to sketching, learning new skills, and gradually building a portfolio that reflects your true passions. Remember, the path to fulfillment often lies outside the “safe exit.”

Tip 6: Don’t Feel Guilty – Embrace Your Journey

The Common Struggle

Most aspiring designers lack a clear roadmap and proper drawing education, even in design school. This often leads to safer choices like 3D modeling or traditional corporate roles to compensate for underdeveloped sketching skills.

Understanding Procrastination

Procrastination isn’t about laziness.
It’s about misplacing your focus.

A Personal Journey

I spent over three years in university learning business and computing pursuing paths that didn’t align with my true passion. Coming from a small town with no design industry connections, I doubted myself and my abilities.

I was all wrong, influenced by clichés, unverified data, and excuses that masked my weaknesses and fears.

The daily grind was exhausting and unfulfilling.
I realized I had invested so much effort into things I didn’t truly enjoy.

The Turning Point

Recognizing the immense energy I put into unfulfilling studies made me wonder how much I could achieve in a field I loved. This realization led me to make a crucial decision: to start over and enroll in a design school at age 22.

Parental Support

My parents preferred I build something meaningful that would make me happy for life as a living.
They never really understood what product was about. But they trusted me. I will always be grateful for their support.

The Rewards of Pursuing Your Passion

I do believe of the Law of attraction.
When you do things you love, and bring value to the world, opportunities come.

Following my dream led me to exciting opportunities: designing footwear for Adidas in Germany, drawing cars for Daihatsu in Japan, studying fashion design in Los Angeles, and many more global experiences.
I also made friends all over the world!

The Power of Action

Success comes when you align your actions with your passions.
Some call it the law of attraction, but it only works when you take action.

To me, becoming an adult is not about shutting down your dreams, but having the courage to make them happen.

Embrace the Journey

Even without a complete roadmap, having the right focus and vision will eventually lead you to your goal. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. Trust, and invest in yourself.

Tip 7: The Power of the First Step

The Significance of Starting

Remember, the first step is often the most challenging and the one most people avoid. By taking that initial step, you’re already ahead of the majority, regardless of whether it’s right or wrong. You’ve begun learning and moving towards your goal.

Embracing Your Dreams

I wish your life’s journey to be driven by your dreams.

Focus on taking action towards your goals and avoid distractions. Remember why you live and what excites you. These emotions often serve as the right compass for happiness and fulfillment.

Persistence and Resilience

Keep walking. Running. Jumping! Falling! But Stand up!

Walk again with your head held high, yet remain humble.
Strive to become a better version of yourself year after year.

Continuous Growth

Like a Pokémon, give yourself a chance to evolve!
You’ll be surprised by what you can achieve with your new skills.
Read, learn, practice, and you’ll have the courage to make fundamental changes to your life for lasting happiness.

Taking Action

We only live once.
Take that crucial first step towards your dreams.
Start and succeed in the projects that truly matter to you.

Final Thoughts

Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Make this year the one where you take that step and embark on the path to realizing your dreams and finding fulfillment.

Cheers,
Chou-Tac

PS: Make sure to download your copy of the Designer Starter Kit here ! 
I also do have a design sketching course.

However the registration are now closed, as I am taking care of the actual members.
However, I am happy yo invite you to join the waiting list to make sure to be first informed of the next opening!