Manifest the reality you want to be a part of

Manifesto

I don’t exactly know when or how I adopted the phrase “manifest the reality you want to be a part of” as my manifesto. But it’s something my colleagues have said they like about me. I guess it’s my version of “be the change you want to see”. I read a lot of metaphysical books growing up. I was really into “The Third Eye” written by Tibetan Lama, Tuesday Lobsang Rampa when I was a teenager. Knowing this, an older hippie friend gave me a stack of books by Lobsang and some others that he had since the 60’s. They stunk of incense, and I was so pumped on receiving them. One of those books was called “Seth Speaks” by Jane Roberts. In it there is a story where a higher entity reveals something to the author andher husband about themselves. It is explained that one night, years prior, when the couple was at a dance, they physically manifested two realities for themselves. One where they decided to be happy, and another reality where they caused themselves misery. Both realities started to physically manifest themselves, until they chose the brighter path. They became the happy couple, while the other version of themselves faded away from this reality. Whether this story is true or not, the notion of the power that we have to manifest the reality we want to be a part of had an impact on me.

Be a Leader

What is the most valuable lesson I’ve learned this year? Be a leader. Without intention, you can be set up for doing boring work if you let it happen. Something that is often heard, “I have this design task I need done. It’s not interesting/cool/fun, but needs to be done.” Once in a while, they are right when they say this. Often this is said when they just don’t have the imagination, but there is ripe opportunity to show them what could be. Investigate first. Don’t assume the tone that was present when first being briefed is the way to go. This is why you are in the mix. Designers need to be leaders. Show them where things can go. Whether they or you know it, it is your responsibility to guide the ship based on your expertise. Stop and imagine having the most fun accomplishing the task. Think about what you get most excited about when you see the work of those you admire most. Imagine yourself doing something truly great. Think of a solution that is as crazy and as fun as you can imagine. Then shake off what won’t work for the project while trying to retain the essence of what was great about your idea. Don’t let those who haven’t contributed any imagination be the guide to what happens. Be the change you want to see.

Tip to Clients Hiring Designers

Of the 5 W questions, the only thing you need to address when briefing your designer on the problem at hand is what and why. You must leave how the problem is solved to the designer. 

Tip to Designers

Take responsibility of the project. Own how you think the problem needs to be solved. If someone is standing in your way, be professional and kindly get them out of the way to do what you need to solve the problem.

Earn trust from clients with your portfolio and the history you build in working with them.

Be a bad ass! Don’t dial anything in. Geek out on your design heroes, and strive to be more like them.

The Most Encountered Hurdle

Everyone thinks they know to design. But not everyone is a designer. Designers have to live and operate among people everyday who presume to know about design, despite a lack of training or any sense for it. All designers want you to hear something. “We don’t try to do your job for you. Please don’t try to do our job for us. You hired us. Let us do what you hired us to do.”

Example

Have you ever watched The A-Team television show or the movie Pulp Fiction? If you were hassled by mercenaries and needed the help of the A-Team to solve your problem, would you presume to tell Hannibal how to solve your problem? If you were Vincent Vega or Jules with a car full of brains and gore would you presume to tell The Wolf how to solve your problem? The answer is pretty clear. The how is in the specialist’s hands where it should be. Step back and let them do their job. First, if you tried to micro-manage the A-Team or The Wolf most likely you would end up in the hospital. Second, you have stolen precious time and energy from your hired specialist.

Real Example

A practice was established before and continued after my arrival where each blog author would find a random stock photo to use in the blog. A bad habit it was. Those images hurt my professional sensibilities, but I was too inundated with higher priorities to make a stand or change something. My thought was, “I don’t like this, but I’ll let it go for now.” When you’re looking at the big picture you always have to focus on the most important, and circle back to and fix the other things when you can. So, when the dust settled on some heavy projects the fix wasn’t a mystery to me. I had been thinking it over for so long. The images going forward will have to be created in-house digital illustrations or in-house high quality photos. It’s just one of those examples of where you can raise the bar when no one else is asking you to.

The Sweet Spot

When your client “gets it” and gives you the trust you need, amazing things happen. Everyone wins. Take the struggle for control off the table. Everyone has a vested interest in the end result. If the designer fails, don’t hire them again. That is fair. If you sabotage the designer, you set up everyone to fail. I’ve been so fortunate working at people pattern. From the get-go all the trust freely given to me has given fruit to success and more trust. Everyone wins when you find the sweet spot. Manifest the reality you want to be a part of.