#CurrentlyReading: Pocket Full of Do
#CurrentlyReading is a series of reflections I have of books I love reading over and over again. My choice of literature are in the category of art, design, creative entrepreneurship, self-help, and happiness. This was born out of my desire to create a safe space for me to share what I've learned, have real conversations about my experiences, and to grow as a better creative — together with you!
"Pocket Full of Do" by Chris Do is the first book I added to my collection. I honestly find it a bit pricey, but purchased it anyway because I believe in him, and I knew it will be a really good resource. If there's one thing I learned from this book is that self-development is a good investment.
After reading this twice, I still go back to some of the pages to reflect and learn from especially when I find myself in sticky design situations or whenever I have to deal with bad clients. For someone who haven't found a consistent mentor yet, it offered straightforward advice I needed to hear.
Each page has its own bite-sized concept, and I find that unique. You can randomly flip open to any page and meditate on it. There's totally no need to rush as it isn't a linear narrative. It’s up to you if you want to read it cover to cover or savor it page by page.
There are 7 parts of this book: Relationships, Creativity, Beliefs, Pricing, Sales & Negotiation, Marketing, and Mindset.
I love the flow because it almost seems like Chris is telling us to be a good person first in order to be a better creative, and that we have to learn how to be business-minded so we can build a sustainable career out of what we're passionate about. It ended with Mindset, and that was a really good cherry on top as it was motivating and it sets the right mood before we continue on with our journey.
I'd like to share one truth I discovered from each chapter, injected with my own realization, experience, or interpretation. It's so hard to only pick one as there's so much wisdom, but for the sake of not oversharing, I'd like to restrain myself from outlining the whole book. I encourage you to read it yourself as you can gain a different perspective from mine.
Relationships
With my experience in freelancing, I know that client relationship is always important when designing something for them. Part of this chapter gave me insight on how to deal with hate, grudge, or any bit of negative energy whenever things don't go exactly as planned. The metaphor he used is that "holding onto hate is like drinking poison". He says, "Often, the person against whom you hold a grudge is completely unaware of your feelings toward them." This was fascinating to me as I never saw it that way before.
Chris' advice is to step back, to look at everything objectively, and to identify what role we played. It's easy to blame the client, but we should always let go of whatever we are feeling, accept the valuable lesson, and refocus on to what's important, rather than being consumed with our own resentment.
"True forgiveness is when you can say, 'Thank you for that experience'.'" - Oprah Winfrey
Creativity
Ooh this part is very interesting to me! I have a question for you: As creatives (whether you are a designer, photographer, animator, etc), have you ever experienced being super emotional about your work? For me, it's a big fat yes to that!
Just a few days ago, I caught myself imprisoned in that shitty space. I was working on a big design project for 2 months now, and suddenly the client bailed out on me. I tried my best to respond as composed and positive as I can, but the truth was, I was crying out of frustration for a few days. They weren't completely transparent and I knew the amount of effort I poured into the project was not worth it at all.
When things go south, there's at least two options: Whether to express what we truly feel to the client, or to be professional and understanding by being the bigger person. This is a situational basis. I know most designers are trained to go for the second option, but I think it would be better to find the balance between those two.
When working with non-creatives, I know that they don't always understand the ins and outs of creating something from scratch. It's the reason why others would underestimate what we do. They don’t understand how we process and break down information, and finding connections between seemingly disconnected ideas. Explaining the creative process can be challenging, but rewarding when a client can empathize and make mindful decisions with us. This isn't for every project though. It depends on different variables whether it's relevant or not for them to know.
This chapter was very useful for me to process what I've been through, and served as a great piece of advice I'll never forget. It talks about finding the balance between passion and detachment. He says, "In the intimate and passionate process of creating, we become attached to our own ideas and work. It's not that we lack the ability to see things or make good decisions. We just lack objectivity, which comes from time and distance. But it is possible to be objective while creating through the deliberate practice of passionate detachment."
Talking to other creatives was another thing I did to surpass the overwhelming negativity I was feeling. We do need others to help us see what went wrong especially when we are in that emotional state. A great metaphor he mentioned was, "You can't read the label when you're inside the bottle." This can also be applied to other problems we have in life. If we keep on bottling up all our anxiety or dilemmas, it will be harder for us to grow because it's stopping us from learning other people's perspective. Plus, it's nice to know that we're not alone in whatever battle we're facing.
Beliefs
Accountability is my favorite lesson in this chapter. Taking ownership and responsibility for everything happening in your life is very empowering. Whenever it's hard for us to achieve our goals, our default mechanism is to either make excuses, or blame and complain about something or someone. The truth is that we are in control, we are capable, and we should have agency over our life. His advice is that every time we feel like complaining or blaming, we should remind ourselves that there are no victims, just volunteers.
Pricing
This particular chapter is a bit technical. All through out, he keeps on iterating how important it is to sell outputs (what is created) over inputs (time plus material), and knowing the value from the client's perspective will help us determine a more accurate price tag.
I was introduced to a lot of new concepts such as the difference between value buyers and price buyers, price bracketing, or the truth behind a client saying "i don't have budget" among others. I really think you have to read it yourself if this is something that interests you!
Sales & Negotiation
For someone who has no sales background, I find the first page of this chapter quite captivating. I learned that selling shouldn't be about convincing, manipulating, or having a hidden agenda. He quoted, Gerson, a business professor's description of what it means to sell: "You are excited about something. You want another person to be as excited as you are about the same thing."
I honestly think of sales-y people as manipulative, but reading this sheds a new light on what it truly means to sell in an ethical and sustainable manner.
Marketing
Have you heard of a "T-skill" or "T-shaped person"? It's my first time too, and this is a new goal that I added to my never ending bucket list. This is how it was explained:
We all know that everyone trust specialists and masters of their craft. "Yet creative people, by their own nature and encouraged by their training and their peers, are horizontal thinkers", and I totally agree. I've always had this dilemma in college. I was so interested in everything I get my hands on, I didn't want to choose one over the other, and I've always felt that I needed more time to be able to experience everything. I finally found an answer:
"Going deeper to gain expertise doesn't mean giving up on things you're interested in; it means having more of what you love the most. It's not a case of less, but a case of deeper."
In my case, I'm thankful to have worked as a product photographer/ photography manager or social media planner (these were unexpected jobs i did for quite awhile), but going forward I'd like to focus my effort more on design & illustration. Honestly, it's quite liberating being a creative because our career path points to so many opportunities. Unlike other careers, it's not set in stone. We just have to know where both are strengths and interests are and master it.
Side note: For me, this concept is not really under Marketing's scope. Although, the next page defines Marketing as "the message you broadcast to the world about who you are, what you do, and why you do it". So in my interpretation, knowing where we specialize in will make it easier for us to market ourselves.
Mindset
I developed a fondness of taking down notes or highlighting phrases in books I find value in. Whenever I'm in that zone, it means that I am engaged and I wanted to absorb as much as I possibly can. This book encouraged me to learn how to "read to teach", and that's the main reason why I started this blog series.
This crazy pandemic made me purchase some books. I'd like to add a few of them to my #CurrentlyReading collection so I am hoping to grow this space soon. Know that I’ll only add quality books I sincerely believe in. If you have books and other resources you'd recommend, the comment section or my email (reeseystudio@gmail.com) is always open. I am also interested in doing collabs. If you want to be a contributing writer or a one-time featured author in this space, don’t be shy to message me. It’s totally okay if you’re not a legit copywriter. Anyone who have opinions related to art, design, entrepreneurship, and life are welcome. You can be funny, witty, or flaunt whatever your style is. All intellectual rights will be yours, you’ll be properly credited, and will gain access to this website.
Interested in reading Pocket Full of Do?
Grab a copy here! I purchased their first edition print when it was still live on Kickstarter, but they also have cheaper options for ebook or audiobook enthusiasts.
Hope you enjoyed this. It would mean so much if you’ll let me know you’ve read this far!
♡ with love and sunshine,
