Jun 11, 2012 10 Lessons from John C Jay
As you most likely know, John C Jay is, the Executive Creative Director for Wieden+Kennedy – the respected American ad agency, best known for its work with Nike. Incidentally, he has spoken and moderated discussions at several ICL events. AIGA, the professional association for design, have biographies on 159 influential designers from the past and present, including one on John C Jay. Woven into the Q&A, are “10 Lessons for Young Designers,” which embody a lifetime of experience, nicely condensed into handy bullet points. Personally, I think these are important lessons for all kinds of creatives, and of all ages. And without further ado, here are the ten tidbits of wisdom:
1: Be authentic. The most powerful asset you have is your individuality, what makes you unique. It’s time to stop listening to others on what you should do.
2: Work harder than anyone else and you will always benefit from the effort.
3: Get off the computer and connect with real people and culture. Life is visceral.
4: Constantly improve your craft. Make things with your hands. Innovation in thinking is not enough.
5: Travel as much as you can. It is a humbling and inspiring experience to learn just how much you don’t know.
6: Being original is still king, especially in this tech-driven, group-grope world.
7: Try not to work for stupid people or you’ll soon become one of them.
8: Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them.
9: The Golden Rule actually works. Do good.
10: If all else fails, No. 2 is the greatest competitive advantage of any career.
