The design industry thrives on pettiness, but you don’t have to. Hand off files professionally, archive everything like the digital pack rat you are, and remember: what goes around comes around. Former clients remember how you treat them—and they come back for it.
Some clients will never be happy—and that’s not your failure. This is a truth designers learn with experience: not every client can be satisfied. Not every project is a win, but the ones that aren’t don’t get to define you.
Ask yourself this question on every project: Am I designing for me—or for the client? When you remove your ego from the equation, you can design objectively and handle feedback like a champ.
You’ve got the spark. You’ve got an eye for design. Now you just need some fundamentals to make your work work. Design confidence comes from knowing why something works—and how to fix it when it doesn’t.
Keep your creative files organized by developing and using a consistent file naming system. It will make your life easier.
Designers don’t just lay out content — half the job is cleaning, translating, and politely fixing whatever lands in the inbox. This covers the everyday cleanup tasks that keep projects moving and save your sanity.
