Resilience is the Key to Success
Resilience is the Key to Success
Everyone asks this question at one point of time or another. What is the key to success? The key to success is resilience. That ability to get back up after you have fallen on your face. That ability to be one of those squats rubber bands that just don’t quit. Yea, sure they roll on you, but they always bounce back. It might be bold to say, but talent doesn’t matter as much as resilience.
Half of Design Students Quit
When I was at my internship many moons ago, my Design Director told me that over HALF of design students give up within the first two years. That number boggled my mind. How could they possibly give up? Well I can tell you one of the answers is that Jr. Designers get a lot of guff so it’s incredibly hard to find a job for some of them. Enough time passes, and their impatience sets in, and they give up. Sometimes they have to do a lot of grunt work, and many aren’t willing to do so.
I guess it is different as you get older. By the time you realize what you want, you’re not going to let someone try to decide whether or not you are allowed to play. This is where resilience comes in. You either sit on the bench waiting to be called, or you make your own table. I would suggest the second. Fortune favors the bold.
This also is a great measure of who really wants it or not.
"By the time you realize what you want, you’re not going to let someone try to decide whether or not you are allowed to play."
No Isn't Always Forever
No isn’t forever, it’s really not. May times it just means not right now. I see big corporations talking about how important their company culture is. Trust me, it goes beyond whether or not you can ride a scooter to your next meeting. That perfect fit is a very real thing. You’re going to have to work with these people for very long hours. You have to communicate together. You have to make decisions together. You have to be willing to win and lose together.You’re going to have to stand by them in a stakeholders meeting.
Many people give up before they have found the perfect fit. Most haven’t fully grasped how important that perfect fit really is. It seriously makes or breaks how much you might enjoy your career. You have to stick it out knowing that every “No” you get just points you closer and closer to the perfect fit. Sometimes “No” just means “Not Right Now”. Maybe there are some blocks that have to fall into place before you get your chance.
"You have to stick it out knowing that every “No” you get just points you closer and closer to the perfect fit."
There Will Be Hard Times
When times are good, they are the greatest. When times are tough sometimes it’s hard to keep up the momentum. I will be vulnerable enough to give you an excellent example of persevering through the tough times. Recently I had announced on my LinkedIn that I was participating in the 100 Day Project. The project was going amazing. The plan was stellar. The momentum was building on my other platforms. I was REALLY TRULY enjoying this year’s 100 day project. Then it happened.
I injured my wrist. I couldn’t hold a pencil. I couldn’t type. I couldn’t lift anything. I was down one hand, and it held a majority of my career. I fell flat on my face with the project. It wasn’t so bad on instagram, but falling on my face in front of my professional peers was a tough blow. Guess what? I did NOT give up. I have not given up. I’m not going to give up. I am resilient. I may stay knocked down for a moment, but I get back up.
I have slowly eased back into the project. Drawing as my hand allowed. I have even been working with my right hand because I put too much time, effort, money, and energy into my career than to be taken out. I’ll TRAIN my other hand. That, my friends, is an example of resilience. It’s been hard to not completely lose motivation. It’s also been hard letting my hand rest so I don’t further injure it. This was an excellent teaching moment not only in resilience, but also time.
Your Timeline
Your timeline isn’t always the same as someone else’s timeline. People are going to be further than you, and you’re going to be further than others. You want to know what separates them all? Resilience. The only people who are going to see the fruits of their labor, are the ones who keep going. So what I’m trying to tell you is, don’t rip up the seeds you have planted before they bare fruit. They will bare fruit. Some plants and trees just take a little longer than others.