Michael, at twenty-six years old, had worked at a fast-food restaurant for three years, feeling unfulfilled and knowing his creative strengths were going to waste. He was frustrated that his minimum-wage salary had barely changed despite the clear impact he had made on retaining and growing the restaurant’s clientele.
Determined to change, he challenged himself to redesign the logos of random businesses he saw on his commute to work. To achieve this task, he dedicated one hour each evening to learning graphic design through YouTube tutorials. On weekends, he visited the local library to read books on design principles and techniques.
When his beaten-up car broke down and the expensive repair wiped out his savings, he had to work extra shifts to stay afloat. During this period, he couldn’t spend an hour each day, but he always did something, whether that was a five-minute sketch during his lunch break or a voice note before bed. Michael resolved to choose his work every day in some small way, no matter what.
After recovering from the car repair expense, Michael’s routine returned to normal and he started to gain some momentum. He started sharing his improved designs on social media with before-and-after shots. Soon, friends and family began asking him to create logos and flyers. He took on these projects for free at first, building his portfolio and skills.
As his confidence grew, Michael cold-called local businesses, offering his design services at competitive rates. After each call, he reflected on his performance, and in doing so, dramatically improved his sales skills. He woke up an hour earlier each day before his restaurant shifts to work on his craft and further develop his skills. Michael took to heart Steve Martin’s line, “Be so good they can’t ignore you,” and that’s exactly what happened.
After months of hard work, Michael built up a solid client base and reduced his restaurant hours to part-time. As his reputation grew, he eventually transitioned to full-time graphic design. Though it was challenging at first, Michael knew he had made the right choice, finally doing work that fulfilled his creative desires.
Michael chose his work by
This article is an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Choose Your Work
Footnote
Michael took to heart Steve Martin’s line, “Be so good they can’t ignore you,” and that’s exactly what happened: The quote “Be so good they can’t ignore you” comes from an interview Steve Martin did on The Charlie Rose Show in 2007. “Advice from Steve Martin,” YouTube video, 0:50, posted by Suzanne Pope, August 15, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teAvv6jnuXY.
Dan Dobos writes about decision making, personal growth, human potential, fulfillment and helping people choose the work that they are meant to do. He is the author of Choose Your Work.