The double-edged sword of passion: When putting your heart in your designs holds you back
If you are in the design industry, odds are that you’re an inherently creative person; and as ‘creatives’ we put pieces of ourselves into our work. This, in fact, is a huge part of what makes us successful in what we do! It’s our job to put ourselves into the shoes of the people we’re solving problems for, and care deeply enough about those problems to formulate a solution and execute it. This is what ‘having empathy’ is all about, right? And when we give a presentation that knocks the socks off of leadership, we walk away with the after-glow of pride for days. But what happens when this emotional connection to our work becomes a liability?
The Dark Side of Emotional Investment
While passion fuels our creativity, it can also leave us vulnerable to criticism and rejection. Not only when we get tough critique, but it can also make us less likely to take risks.
The problem with putting so much of ourselves in our work is when it comes time for a critique or pitch, and the feedback is that the design or concept isn’t working as well as you thought. Maybe it isn’t ‘quite there’, or the worst of all… that you need to go back to the proverbial drawing board. You identify yourself with your work, and if your work is rejected then so are you. The work you were so proud of wasn’t perfect so you obviously need to throw your computer out the window, change careers and move to another state. None of that is true obviously (mellow drama is one of my super powers) but it can certainly feel that way in the moment. Our work is personal, and we wouldn’t be doing it if we weren’t passionate about it.
This emotional rollercoaster can be exhausting and potentially damaging to your growth as a designer.
Finding the Balance
So, how do we strike a balance between pouring our hearts into our designs and maintaining professional objectivity? The answer lies in learning to separate our personal worth from the outcome of our work.
Have a growth mindset: feedback is an opportunity. Look at critique as valuable input that can help improve your designs. Keep in mind that most input isn’t explicit direction either; sometimes it is, but often you can take or leave that input which makes it a great opportunity to pull in only the things that will make your ideas stronger. View challenges to your perspective as opportunities rather than threats.
Practice emotional detachment. While it’s important to care about your work, learn to create a healthy emotional distance. This can help you evaluate your designs more objectively and handle feedback more professionally. And this can happen later in the process too! Think of your designs as your kids: they’re completely dependent on you in the beginning, but in order for them to become their best selfs, you need to pull back and allow for other inputs to have an impact (and hope that your idea is solid enough to withstand all that input).
Celebrate the process, not just the outcome. Find joy and pride in the creative process itself, rather than focusing solely on the end result. This is one I personally struggle with. The final product is when I tent to step back and revel in the accomplishment. However, learning to take just as much pride in the ‘how’ can help you maintain enthusiasm even when projects don’t turn out as expected.
The Power of Perspective
Ok, so this whole idea of not getting too attached is all well and good, but here is the paradox: As designers, our ability to empathize and care deeply about our work is our superpower. So, what is the answer? Too much heart = potential devastation, no heart = soulless work.
Here is the advice I recently gave a mentee: Pour your heart into your designs, but don’t leave it there. Allow them to flourish and benefit from other perspectives. Doing this well ensures you can harness the power of your passion without being held back by it.
By finding the right balance between emotional investment and professional objectivity, we can create amazing designs while protecting our well-being and fostering long-term career growth.
Your passion is what makes you a great designer—let it propel you forward while maintaining a healthy perspective on your work and your worth.
