When everything needs to be shared

When everything needs to be shared then what moments are left to be sacred?

I found myself sitting in an office across town yesterday trying to explain what I do to someone 10 years my elder and completely out of the loop on the whole social media game. To drive my point home, he didn't even know how to pronounce Instagram. It was hard not to correct him. He then proceeded to ask me if he should join Instagram, to which I replied (in short) "no". Not that I'm against anyone older than, umm 32, joining Instagram or anything. And I'm all for trying new things. But I also don't believe in blindly following trends. And let's be honest, Instagram is a huge trend right now.

We have a problem on our hands.

The more we constantly share every thought and image we experience on a daily basis, the less we actually sit and contemplate the simple joys of being alive. Whatever happened to keeping something to ourselves? When was the last time you existed for more than 30 minutes without any technological distraction? And what do more likes, comments and followers really mean at the end of the day? I'm serious. Take away my numbers on Instagram and I'll still go to sleep in peace tonight. But that's completely opposite of what I've experienced in person over the last year. It seems more is better. More followers. More likes. MORE! We are a culture driven by more. We are consumers driven by more. We are "content creators" always wanting more. But to what end?

Take more mental pictures

The next time you're out with your friends or family and the moment is happening right in front of your face, don't reach for that little black brick in your pocket. Instead, let the magic of life unfold before your eyes. Think about the millions of tiny electrical signals firing back and forth in your brain that give you your senses to see and hear and touch and feel. Then realize that those people around you are worth more than any number on any social network ever. I speak this to myself just as much to you. I'm not always "in the moment" as much as I should be. But I'm learning to be. If not for my own good, then for the good of my daughter. And I think that is something worth fighting for.

Thirty Two

Dear Thirty Two,

Hello you beautiful bastard. Good to see you. But let's be honest, 32 isn't much of a celebration. It's one of the many "in-between" birthdays between 30 and 40. However, another year has gone by and with that many challenges and victories have been faced.

Looking back over the last year it feels like one giant tug-o-war with my soul. Where we were all set to make the big move to Colorado last year and settle in to our new surroundings high above sea level, now we have decided to stand our ground and stay put in Dallas. Also, I'm pretty sure this time last year I had no idea what to expect out of papahood. All I knew to expect was the unexpected. Talk about a total game changer though, but in the best way possible. More on that later though.

First, a few things I've learned this year when it comes to work. Honestly, it ain't no trip to Cleveland. Not that any of this has ever really been easy though. The transition from last year to this year has proven to stretch my ability to believe beyond what I can see in new ways. Maybe it's all wrapped up in being a new father. But after moving on from Over last year I had to adjust my mindset back to being self-employed. It was honestly a comfortable four months while I was working with them, getting a steady paycheck and all, but at the same time I feel like it hurt me by making me feel comfortable. And if there's anything I've learned through it all, it's 1. don't get comfortable, and 2. know where my security really comes from.

Moreover, getting the chance to travel this last year has been one of the highlights of my year. From the beautiful coast of central California to the ancient cities and deserts of Israel, there has been no shortage of adventure. This time we live in is so exciting, filled with so much opportunity – don't miss out by waiting for something better. It's not good enough to just do what you love, you really have to love what you're doing enough to go through the hard times. That's why I am so incredibly thankful to have an amazing, beautiful, supportive wife by my side who continues to believe in me – good times and bad.

I mentioned believing beyond what I can, or as most people like to call it – faith. These five letters formed together make up something far beyond what words can describe. The great ups and downs of our lives are woven together with it. It is the very life and death of us all. That's why I believe King Solomon was right when he said our words hold the power of life and death. My faith this year has grown in new and challenging ways. On the one hand I feel like I've gone from the mountain top experience of witnessing the birth of my daughter, to the depths of the lowlands as I struggle to find ways to sustain my business. Through it all I know I am loved. And as my good friend Doug told me a few weeks ago, "The Father loves y'all so much." Pow! That's the kind of simple encouragement that makes everything else seem small.

But more than any amount of travel or struggle this year, nothing can top the birth of my daughter. Most of my feelings leading up to her birth were full of the unknown. Hearing other people's experiences and encouragements were really great, but being by my wife's side for the 18 hours of labor and being able to help deliver my little girl is just beyond words. The connection my wife and I formed during that time is priceless. And now, as each day passes, watching my little girl grow up is a wondrous gift. I don't think anyone could have prepared me for the new space that opened in my heart after my daughter was born, and what great love flowed from it.

So here's to another year gone by, and a new year laid out ahead of me. I can't see from one day to the next, but I believe life is only getting better. Like a fine wine, our lives continue to mature and develop more complex notes of character. I'm excited to see where I'll be this time next year, but now it's time to put one foot in front of the other.

On Work - On Starting

The blank page. The endless possibilities. The flood of inspiration. All of these are huge roadblocks in our path to creating. We will never start something if we're always scared of making a mistake, or always comparing ourselves to others. We must break through the barriers. But how?

Just start something. Draw the first line. Take the first shot. Play the first key. You see where I'm going don't you? The only way to overcome the fear of starting something is not to simply ignore it and hope it goes away, but embrace it and take one step toward it. The greatest part of any journey isn't found at the end, once you reach your goal, but along the way and all that you learn and overcome.

So what are you waiting for? Stop waiting for the right resources. Stop waiting to be "inspired". Make do with what you have. Be creative, in the truest sense of the word, and use your imagination. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself to get it right the first time. There is no right or wrong when we create. When we enter the realm of creating we leave behind our sense of direction and are guided by a force much greater than us.

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On Work - Failure

Let's be honest, failure is an option. Sometimes failure can even be just as important as succeeding. Not to say we should ever focus on failing, or even be happy when we do fail, but it's definitely worth reflecting on why it happened and what we can learn from it.

Those who say "failure is not an option" obviously have never tried something that scares them. Because for anyone who has attempted something that makes them a little on edge, then you know that failure is just a natural part of the process. Failing at something doesn't mean you didn't try hard. We should learn from our failures in hopes of 1. not repeating them and 2. doing better the next time.

Failure is also about perspective. I choose to believe that every experience in life, both good and bad,  is a stepping stone. Yes, even the times we fail at something we are moving forward. It takes just as much guts to try something and fail at it, as it does to try something and succeed. We can never know the end from the beginning. Isn't that why we get out of bed every morning? To try something new, even if we fail.

On Work - Personal vs. Professional

Look, it's important to remember that as a person who is also a brand we should be somewhat self-aware. Maybe it's part of being an adult, but without a filter on our words we would be in trouble more often than not. To put it another way, we don't always have to share everything we're thinking. But that's the problem now with the likes of Twitter and Facebook always at a fingers length beckoning us to share every little thought that pops in our head. It's overrated.

But it's more than just what we say, or don't say, online. It's how we learn to separate our personal feelings from our professional behavior. Some of the hardest lessons I've had to learn have been in a meeting with a client who either a. doesn't like anything I've created, or worse, b. keeps changing their mind over and over again. That is bound to wear on anyone's patience. But, as professionals, we are held to a higher standard when we sit down with our clients. It's about them, not us. We are here for them.

However, some might argue that our profession is not one of service. I'm not totally convinced either way. I feel like it's a mix of both. In a service industry one is paid to perform a duty to the customers request. They live and die by the creed, "The Customer is Always Right." But, for us, the visual design is merely an outward expression of a deeper purpose taking place. As professionals, we are hired not only for our aesthetics and execution, but also for our experience and ability to educate our clients. So while we may not always agree that our clients are always right, we don't need to rub their faces in it.

Then how do we hold true to who we are in our profession? I think it' an easy answer, just be yourself. Well, I guess it's easier said than done. But I think it's similar to dating, the quicker you stop trying to impress someone and just be yourself the quicker you will know if the other person sitting across the table is a good match. And so it is with a client, not every client is a good fit. But if we are too busy acting like someone we're not, then we might not like where we find ourselves after we land the job. So I'll say it again, just be yourself. Some may like it, and some may not, but at the end of the day you know who you are.

On Work - Comparing vs. Celebrating

If you were to really boil down your desire to work hard, what would you find? An honest passion burning underneath the surface, or a burning jealousy of other peoples successes and the constant comparison of yourself to them?

How should we ever expect to succeed if we are only measuring ourselves by ourselves? After all, we are only human. Even if for 15 minutes one of us seems to be greater than all the rest. Don't be fooled by fame. A labor in love will continue on with or without the recognition from its peers.

But times have changed. Now we live in a world of celebrity magazines and selfies, where comparison is a normal way of life. When we look in the mirror, we don't see ourselves, but we see every little thing we don't like about ourselves. The same goes for our work. When we create something we don't hold it up to our own standards, but rather we compare it to the work of our peers. This isn't just harmful to those starting out, but it can suffocate the life right out of even the most well respected.

Stop looking everywhere else for inspiration. In fact, stop looking to be inspired so much. Have some alone time and get to know yourself. Likes. Dislikes. Sit down and create work that comes from deep inside. Just sit down and work. In doing so, my own heart began to change from a place of comparison to really celebrating the work and success of others. And I'm convinced this is a much better place to live, and work, from.