One of the most powerful concepts in productivity and success is Pareto's Principle, commonly known as the 80/20 rule.* This principle suggests that roughly 80% of your results come from just 20% of your efforts. Whether in business, personal development, or creative endeavors, identifying and focusing on this crucial 20% can exponentially enhance your success over time.

By becoming aware of the activities that generate the most significant impact, you can prioritize and invest more in these areas. This targeted approach doesn't just increase efficiency; it also allows for greater gains with less effort, creating a compounding effect that leads to substantial improvements. In practice, this means analyzing your work to determine what truly drives success and then doubling down on those high-impact activities.

The beauty of Pareto's Principle lies in its simplicity and broad applicability. By focusing on the 20% that matters most, you position yourself to achieve more with less, transforming your approach to work and life.

*It’s important to note that the specific ratio (80/20) is not a strict rule. The principle is more about the disproportionate relationship between inputs and outputs. In some cases, the ratio could be 70/30, 90/10, or some other variation.

We often get stuck trying to make the “perfect” decision, worrying about whether it’s the right choice for our future. But what if the real power doesn’t lie in the decision itself, but in what we do next?

The truth is, no one can predict how any decision will turn out. Whether it’s choosing between two career paths, deciding to get married, or simply picking what to eat for dinner, the future is always uncertain. What matters most is how we respond to the choices we’ve made.

Instead of stressing over making the perfect decision, focus on making your decision work. This means taking proactive steps to shape the outcome in a positive way. By shifting from trying to predict the future to actively creating the best result from our choices, we take control.

So, next time you’re faced with a tough decision, remember: it’s not about making the perfect choice; it’s about making the best of the choice you’ve made. Take action, stay adaptable, and be open to where your path leads.

As a creative soul, you've likely experienced the elusive dance of inspiration.

It arrives without warning, igniting your imagination with vibrant color and sensation, and just as suddenly, it departs, leaving you with a blank canvas and an empty mind.

In these uncertain moments, maintaining your motivation is vital.

Your commitment to continue creating despite these challenges is what defines you as an artist.

Art isn't created in a vacuum, though it’s often experienced in one.

Making art is the creative process of absorbing, interpreting, and reimagining the world around us. While the labels we use—like "inspiration," "homage," "original," or "imitation"—try to define this process, they often fall short. Creativity is fluid and subjective, and resists simple categorization.

Friction occurs when artists ignore or deny their influences. This creates a gap between those who unconsciously reinterpret the world and those who consciously embrace their inspirations, leading to misunderstandings about creativity and originality.

The truth is, all artists draw from their surroundings, blend these influences with personal experience, and create works that reinterpret the world as much as they see it. Recognizing this interconnectedness frees us from the myth of originality and lets us embrace creativity as a shared, communal act.

In doing so, art transcends personal expression and becomes part of a larger, ever-evolving conversation.

Every idea is shaped by something that came before it. This isn't a limitation but a natural part of human evolution, where the challenge lies in how we reinterpret and transform these influences. Your unique perspective—shaped by your experiences—serves as the lens through which ideas are filtered and reimagined.

Understanding that everything is remixed through your unique lens frees you from the pressure of being "original" and allows for deeper exploration. Creativity thrives when you acknowledge this interconnectedness and contribute to the ongoing dialogue that it represents.

To combat the pressures of originality, engaging in activities like drawing—whether through illustration, white boarding, or writing—can help you visualize and express ideas authentically.

This approach ensures that your work emerges from your unique perspective, rather than being confined by existing visual materials.

Marketing carries this undeserved stigma within the art community.

Many artists believe that marketing contradicts authenticity and pure creativity, fostering a misconception that promoting one’s art somehow diminishes its value. However, this belief is far from the truth. Historically, artists have engaged in marketing, whether they labeled it as such or not. Leonardo da Vinci, one of the most celebrated artists in history, was also a skilled marketer.

The Myth of the "Pure" Artist

The idea of the "pure" artist—someone who neither needs nor desires to market their work—is misleading. Art does not thrive in isolation; it needs to be seen, appreciated, discussed, and even purchased to sustain an artist's career. Artists are not just creators but communicators of their vision, a concept that aligns seamlessly with the essence of marketing.

Reframing Marketing: From Selling to Storytelling

For many artists, marketing is often associated with selling, which can feel inauthentic. A helpful perspective shift is to view marketing as storytelling rather than selling. Every piece of art tells a story, and marketing is simply a way of sharing that story with a broader audience. It involves creating a narrative around your work that resonates with people, encouraging them to engage with it.

Marketing as Authentic Engagement

Marketing extends beyond sales—it's about building relationships and engaging authentically with your audience. It involves listening, receiving feedback, and fostering dialogue around your work. Seen this way, marketing becomes less about promoting a product and more about nurturing a community of individuals who appreciate and connect with your artistic vision.

The term "marketing" might seem foreign or intimidating to some artists. But when examined closely, it’s clear that marketing is intricately connected to the creative process. Marketing is about storytelling, engaging, and sharing—it is as creative as the act of making art itself. Embracing this truth can lead to deeper connections with audiences, greater visibility, and ultimately, a more successful career as an artist.

Money comes and goes (and comes again).

But time is something you can never get back.

Choose where you focus your energy wisely.

For me, drawing is a fundamental way I engage with the world.

It’s where my ideas take shape, allowing me to move from mere observation to understanding the details of what I see.

In a time where screens and digital tools dominate, the simplicity of pencil on paper remains essential to my creative process.

As technology has become more integrated into design education, the focus on traditional drawing has lessened.

While these digital skills are valuable, they shouldn't replace the foundational practice of drawing.

I believe every designer should be comfortable with sketching because it allows us to express ideas freely, without relying on pre-existing images—a crucial step in any creative endeavor.

In a world brimming with choices, the mantra "If it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no" serves as a powerful guide. Coined by Derek Sivers, this philosophy is all about being fully committed to what truly excites you and confidently saying "no" to everything else.

The idea is simple but profound: if an opportunity, task, or decision doesn’t light you up with excitement, it’s better to decline. Saying “yes” out of obligation, guilt, or fear of missing out often leads to burnout and regret. Instead, focus on the things that resonate deeply with your goals and passions.

This approach not only frees up your time and energy but also ensures that you’re dedicating yourself to what truly matters. Life is too short to settle for anything less than a resounding "hell yes." So, next time you're on the fence, remember: if it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no.

I've come to see rejection as a natural part of my journey, not as a roadblock but as a redirection. Over time, I’ve realized that the sting of rejection has less power over me because my self-worth isn’t tied to external validation. Instead, I rely on what I believe in myself, trusting that the right opportunity will come.

Each rejection teaches me something valuable—what worked, what didn’t—and that knowledge helps me move forward with confidence. This mindset seems to be born out of experience and perspective.

If I were giving my 20 y/o self advice, it would be this: get rejected early and often. It takes the sting out of it and helps you become more comfortable with the process. In the end, rejection just becomes another step toward the next opportunity.