“A thousand roads lead man for ever towards Rome.” - Medieval Latin.
There are many ways to approach the transition from college to industry. Over the next few posts in this series I am going to touch on some of the valuable principles, tools and strategies which would have helped me better handle this journey when I was younger.
Know Yourself
Get to know yourself. Sounds easy, right? You already know yourself and why you do what you do or do you?
Is it possible that you have become numb or blind to your true why ? Are you stuck in a state of habituation; accepting of it because the alternate is to difficult to face?
Find the thing or things that have real meaning to you, that give you purpose and fulfillment. By identifying these things you may find your true why which could change the direction you are going in life.
If you realize you have no why you are now on a quest; an experiment in finding your why, become the seeker.
“The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself.” - Thales.
Why “Why”?
Knowing your why or lack of why is crucial in defining how you approach post college life. It helps you define a strategy to attain what it is you set out to achieve. Learning how to identify your why is a skill which you will use throughout your life.
Who Are You?
The Lucky Ones
If you know exactly what you want to do, you are very lucky! Focus your portfolio on exactly what it is you want to do and demonstrate it to the best of your ability.
A common mistake for these people is that they develop a portfolio with a wide range of work across as many areas as possible to demonstrate versatility. Why would you try and create a portfolio trying to cover areas you aren't that interested in? If all you want to do is level design, your portfolio should be about level design. Do not focus your efforts on a broad portfolio demonstrating areas not related to designing better levels if you do you are cheating yourself. How would you feel if a level design opportunity popped up and your portfolio didn't demonstrate your ability to its fullest and you missed out?
Some would argue for a broad portfolio to show diversity but ask yourself would you be happy if you land a job doing something in those areas instead of your area of choice?
I am not saying that you should not practice different areas of design especially for learning purposes, but if you know what you want to achieve focus your energy on achieving it.
The Explorers
Explorers by nature are flexible, creative, practical people who are comfortable with adapting to uncertainty. This ability allows explorers to venture into areas many not dare and develop a diverse range of tools and techniques.
Explorers aren’t obsessed with precise detail (unless in the zone where they can produce a crazy level of precision and focus) usually requiring workability rather than perfection.
Explorers are generally non committal and can change their minds with minimal regret. Explorers dislike monotony, and often stray from obligations in favor of entertaining new things. They experiment with many interests and live and breathe whatever they connect with – for a time.
Explorers are highly motivated when steering themselves through something interesting, but don’t like being restrained by anything “mandatory.”
To be successful as an explorer you must learn to manage the traps;
Don't leave business unfinished.
Don't let clutter build up.
Don't misplace important things.
Learn to prioritise effectively.
Pay attention to detail.
Make sure you effectively communicate.
Commit!
Many explorers end up as generalists in their chosen field and the ones that learn to manage the traps and understand process may find a leadership role focusing on the bigger picture.
"Not all those who wander are lost" - J. R. R. Tolkien
The Pretenders
Most Pretenders think they love it all and want to do it all and are not sure what to focus their energy on so they wait for an ideal moment but it never comes. They may initiate things but then procrastinate and justify your position and lack of progress with excuses. In my experience I have found in the majority of cases people in this group have not dug beneath the surface and lack a solid foundation in their given areas of interest. The key for this group of people is to embrace the grind and dig, take no shortcuts. If you dig with an objective in mind and keep digging until you get there you will gain an understanding of what is involved and may not want to dig in that area again. If you did enjoy digging and getting dirty in those areas focus on them until you have a clear picture of what you like to do. Through the digging process you may also find you don’t find what you want but carry the discipline in digging to become a seeker or explorer.
“By being “educated” I mean having such an apprehension of the contours of the map of what has been written in the past, as to see instinctively where everything belongs, and approximately where anything new is likely to belong; it means, furthermore, being able to allow for all the books one has not read and the things one does not understand – it means some understanding of one’s own ignorance.”
- William Hutchison Murray -
The Seeker
You are looking for that thing/things that really get you going. Well keep looking and don't restrict your seeking just to what you know or are comfortable with. If you commit to the search with a beginners mind you may just find what you are looking!
See travel while you are young dreamt.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it!”
- William Hutchison Murray -Next;
A letter to my students part 5:Value learning over results (coming soon)
Read previous;