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Just a quick question and challenge for you guys – Are you pushing yourself to learn? I have felt kinda blah these last few month in terms of my motivation and creativity as a designer and developer. I think this was because I wasn’t pushing myself to learn new things. So I just recently decided to learn how to build sites in ExpresisonEngine and give myself a geek-ee challenge. It’s been frustrating and fun at the same time but I can say for the first time in a while I’m actually EXCITED about learning something and im actually doing something! (instead of putting things off).
So I’d like to challenge you guys to push yourself and learn new things! Leave a comment and let me know what you are challenging yourself with!
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Dan says:
I went to that same EE meetup as you did and am having a similar experience. I bought EE2 and have been slowly wrapping my brain around it.
Learning makes me excited by the possibilities and frustrated that I don't have more time to devote to it. I have a laundry list of things I'd like to learn and picking which thing to go after first can be tough.
May 11th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
nikibrown says:
Totally agree Dan! Its hard not to sit there and be overwhelmed by all the things you want to learn. I sat paralyzed for too long like that until i just decided to suck it up and do something (and sleep alot less). I'm tired but its worth it!
May 11th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Rob says:
My old mentor use to say, if you never look back at your old code and say, man i could have done it this way… then you need to find another job.
In other words, to grow you need to keep on learning.
May 11th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
@RMGco says:
I'm studying business-things. I'm looking to expand my one-man-band to a two-person gig in the next year or so, and expand into owning a working / living office space in the next 2-3 years. It is a huge step, it is horribly frightening, and I often want to bang my head against the wall (my art-brain =! business-brain).
On the flip side, it has (already) opened up massive collaborative opportunities (oh hai mah back needz scratchin'), and in general has forced me to streamline things. For instance, I'm so much more organized now than I've ever been.
May 11th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
jeklo says:
I'm trying to build a website for a friend…I really don't know anything more than what I've taught myself in html and css. I have a beautiful idea in my head and just need to learn the css to make it happen – that's what I'm working on!
May 11th, 2010 at 11:23 pm
@duncanmcduncan says:
Hi Niki, well, as in my situation, i'm considering myself as a design noob.
After some basic understanding from the mentors and friends i knew in Design Democracy, I finally concluded i know nothing about design (i put all knowledge to design at once for 'dispose purpose' so i can better absorbs new information), i know very little of it. So i have a long term goal, learning the basics from the peers. I have a full time job which is not design related (sort of).
So now my biggest challenge is to master the basics – Starting from grids.
btw, i have a habit of denying what i've learn as to challenge myself to be able to look and learn things from different angles again. It's fun!
My recent post Rick Hocutt
May 12th, 2010 at 11:20 am
♥pixel8design♥ says:
I LOVE learning new things… I'm a n00b in CSS, Java, HTML… you name it, I'm a n00b. But that's why my Twitter Follow-to-Follower ratio is way wacked. Because I'm following 700+ web/graphic designers/typographers, simply because I can't get enough of the information. Anything they'll give me, I want it… It keeps me going. Most of the time…
See, I've been kinda blaaaaah myself, too. It's difficult, because I let a lot of outside things inspire me. I shouldn't let situations and circumstances affect my creativity, but what do I do when my best work is a result of a bright morning, 65 degrees…. or a busy coffeehouse atmosphere… especially a place with a warm, New York flair. My other favorite place is my job… I work at an Orchard. I get so many ideas there.
But with this cold dreary weather… I'm depressed, and then not to mention my un-motivated, 35-going-on-14 year-old classmates
How to I NOT let these things get to me? How can I train myself to do my best work, even in an unsatisfactory environment??? Sometimes, I try to use "learning new things" as a mode for motivation, but sometimes, I don't even WANT to start something, knowing I'll be too "blaaaaah" to finish
May 12th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
pavlicko says:
Niki –
good post. I agree, we must continue to stay current and learn new things. This goes for everyone involved with web work one way or another – designers, programmers, copywriters, marketers, on and on and on….this is great and no-so great at the same time.
Experimenting and research too much and you risk never mastering anything, but on the flip side – become a master at one thing only and risk your long term career, should that one thing up and go away….flash development might be one such example.
(btw, if you accidentally type the letters directly next to n, i, and k – your name becomes Molo. )
May 12th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Paul Web Design says:
Every day is a challenge! Seriously it seems one thing after another with web design, but I guess it would be boring otherwise.
May 19th, 2010 at 3:01 am