What's the difference between dreams and goals?
Dreams are ideas you hope to have someday.
Goals are ideas with a plan to get you there.
Last week I wrote about my creative journey filled with imperfect choices. For every mistake, there’s a lesson. And for everything I said yes to, there are several others I had to say no to along the way. One of those “No’s” is sharing the process behind my projects.
I’ve always enjoyed documentaries that show you the person behind the work. My favorites are about chefs talking about the struggle of working in a kitchen, being poor, getting fired, and then somehow turning it around to launch their own restaurant right as they were ready to walk away from it all finally. It’s a real Cinderella story, sure, but it’s the grit and perseverance that inspires me, and I could only hope to inspire others the same way by showing my own journey.
I’ve made several attempts over the years, whether through blogs, podcasts, or YouTube videos. However, eventually, life happens, and I’m forced to make decisions and say “No” to a thing I was once able to say “Yes” to. Most of those projects ended when my kids were born- imagine having to choose between spending time on an extracurricular like podcasting or spending time with a newborn baby girl.
That’s the primary reason I decided to start this newsletter. I hope that showing my process will inspire someone.
I’m at a point where I can no longer work long hours without allowing room for other outlets. Even though I gave up working nights and weekends five years ago after my first child was born, I’ve noticed that I have to be mindful of how much rest I get and where I focus my attention. So over the years, I’ve given myself challenges like learning photography, video editing, and working on cars (off-roading). These are all outlets that help me forget about work, spend time with people I care about, and be energized again to show up to work.
As much as I like working on cars, type design has gotten me the most excited. I picked up type design almost three years ago, and it took me one year to complete my first font.
I hoped to document more of that process, but between keeping up with the steep learning curve and redrawing my typeface from scratch at least three times, I opted to focus on what I was learning more than sharing it.
Type design has become a real passion of mine, and for no other reason than I’m just interested in the small details that make a letterform work.
The real goal of this newsletter is to use it as a showcase for all the things in my life, whether that’s my job as a designer, various business ventures, or my spiritual journey. The truth is that all of these things are intertwined into who I am, and I’ve learned that it’s only through balance that I can find success in any area.
So while I’ll write a lot about my projects, such as type design, you’ll also see me comment on health and faith because they’re necessary for me to show up at my best.
Please consider subscribing if you haven’t already, or share this link with a friend you think will benefit. Over the coming weeks, I’ll dive deeper into each area I mentioned.
PS. These longer posts will regularly come on a set schedule. Sundays seem fitting, but I wonder if they would more easily reach you on Mondays instead. What do you think?