January 1, 2011 marks the beginning of the tenth chapter (“Plane”) in the Planescape saga – a chapter I call “Immersion.” While the details are still being mapped out, I am becoming enthusiastic about what this new framework entails.
In advance of sharing more details about Immersion, I think it’s worth sharing a few things that I’ve learned over the past year – particularly over the past sixty days – all of which will be incorporated into my larger advancement strategy.
- In the workplace, team chemistry is perhaps the most important thing to me.
- I have a much clearer sense for what I should ultimately strive for, and what I can leave behind.
- I have a better understanding of my strengths and skills, and also have the confidence to let some of those skills lay dormant as I develop new skills and further improve my strengths.
- I believe that if I am not happy, moving somewhere else will not necessarily change this.
- I am uncomfortable with a significant amount of uncertainty, but I have learned ways to accommodate where extreme uncertainty exists.
- I have learned what it feels like to be unemployed and the psychological effects of the job search.
- I have a better understanding of the types of companies that interest me – and those that do not.
- I know I need to centralize my development around design, technology and business.
- I need to be more careful and conscious of future decisions to increase my life satisfaction.
- The past several years of effort have ultimately paid off in terms of being able to tell a more accurate story of who I am and where I’m going.
- I am interested in leading design efforts with proper experience / education.
- I have learned that a continuous bombardment of failures can result in a sense of “learned helplessness” which can be corrected.
- I have a better sense of who to trust and when trust should be given.
- I have learned better decision-making skills given past failures.
- I do not wish to work at home or alone because it is psychologically very draining / alienating for me.
- I have a better understanding of what I want and do not want in my life.
- I have learned that I can become blocked when facing too many significant (life) decisions at once; thus, employing some type of partitioning strategy is necessary to make these decisions in confident, thoughtful and expedient manner.
- I may never be completely satisfied with my life, and maybe that is okay.
- My graphic design portfolio is fairly strong, but I need to spend more time developing the other sections of my portfolio (e.g. 3D).
- I would like to expend more time on entertainment design, but realize that it may always be a passion but not necessarily a career.
- A robust ID portfolio and MFA degree could open a lot of doors for me in the long-run.