(Ruta writes...) Designers: Born or Made – that's the question...

I am always intrigued by the very thought if designers are “born” or if are they “made”. When I say designers – I don't just mean the people who do traditional “art”. By designers, I mean people who are creative, people who innovate. These people could be designing businesses, brands, strategies and of course graphics, spaces and products. 

At times it just feels as if they “happen” ... when you see a 'perfect' design – be it a product, a space, a print, a business, a strategy or any other form of art – when its perfect – it brings with it the feeling of being natural and then they say – he is a “born” success or he is a “born” designer...

Just imagine this situation – You are in the business market and about to start your career as a designer/ branding consultant – you give out your business card or other materials to a 1000 businesses. But, you know that it is impossible to get business from each of them. You know that only about a 100 out of those will come to you. – WHICH 100?? Thats fate. 

Just look at the picture on your right – A designer approaches 6 companies/ brands to work with – big or small, near or far. The business only happens when one of the companies in return wants to hire the designer. This is fate – to get a project to work on. Be it (project) small or big, that is an opportunity. Fate has played its part and its your turn now. What happens later is the MAJOR part that decides whether or not the designer will be acclaimed as being a “born” designer. This part is the actual work. The arrow from the company to the designer is just a matter of choice, something that the designer cannot control. But, he can control the part after that – to give his best shot to the work he has got – of course he should have some talent, he must work with PASSION, put in hard-work and persistence. As Edison once said “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration” – so is the case with design.

Good projects do not make great designers. But, hardworking, PASSIONATE, persistent and talented designers make any project they work on – great and end up being perceived as “born” with talent. That is why I like to say - no one is a “born” success or a “born” designer – they are outcomes of hard-work, passion, talent and persistence.