When you experience a creative block, it’s time to (almost) literally lose your mind. When your way of iterating isn’t working, it’s time to solve your problem with someone else’s way of thinking.
This practical exercise is called…
What Would Brand X Do?
Your job is to consider a famous innovator, character, or business and create a solution based on their way of thinking. The goal is to completely leave behind everything you believe to be true about a problem, and step into the thinking patterns of another person (or brand…or superhero).
Tackle the issue with someone else’s imagination. How would they solve it? What type of outlook would they have?
By “taking over the thoughts” of famous industry leaders, you’ll begin to envision solutions you couldn’t imagine from your own perspective. Partner their innovative genius with your untapped potential and improve upon an idea that has the power to revolutionize an industry.
Example
Consider the following ideas:
How would Elon Musk create the next running shoe?
How would Spiderman build the next generation of autonomous cars?
How would you expect the Pope to innovate eCommerce?
What solutions immediately came to mind? When you step outside your own mental limitations and put on someone else's mind, you find new creative freedom.
When you’re really ready to step outside the rules of reality, combine unrelated concepts to expand the challenge. The more disconnected the person or character from the product you’re innovating upon, the more unpredictable your ideas will be.
It all comes back to you. You’re the true innovator. This exercise allows you to sidestep your own mental blocks by trying on a different perspective. The Innovator’s Handbook provides simple exercises just like this to help you break out of your comfort bubble and create your own unique brand of innovation.
Inspiring Quote
"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."
—Frank Zappa
Giveaway Offer
With my book officially launching next week on September 6th, and as a token of appreciation for the tremendous support the book has got so far, if you have purchased a copy of The Innovator's Handbook or do so before September 10th, please reply to this email and I will send you details on how to get one of three limited edition pins, which are based on the wonderful illustrations in the book.
If you think of innovations that would better the world or products that would save lives, why do you default to thinking it can’t be done?
Physical and psychological limitations.
We constantly view accomplishments as impossible because they’ve never been done. And, when it hasn’t been done, we assume it can’t be done. But innovation proves us wrong. Not only is “impossible” a myth, but it’s been proven wrong again and again.
We see the impossible turned into medicine, technology, and world records every day. Why not you? That’s what Roger Bannister thought, and now we celebrate him as an athlete and innovator who paved the way for runners around the globe.
Roger Bannister, the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, is recognized as more than an athlete. When you understand the story behind the story, you begin to see Bannister as an innovator who decided the impossible was a lie. It was only impossible because he had not yet entered the scene. And then, he did.
Records indicate runners had chased the 4-minute mile since at least 1886. But on a cool, windy day in May 1954 on a track in Oxford, England, Bannister crossed the finish line at 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds. For decades, supreme athletes and coaches attempted to break the 4-minute mile barrier. Theories were developed about the weather, training, and preparation that would need to be perfected before the mile could be run in under four minutes.
Despite the push that premier coaching was the only way to run a sub-4-minute mile, Bannister trained solo. He often ran by himself in whatever weather conditions the region offered. Unlike countless other runners before him, Bannister understood he would have to mentally complete the task before he could physically complete the task.
As British journalist and runner John Bryant explains, the stopwatch was as much a “psychological barrier as a physical one.” When Bannister broke the unachievable time, something remarkable began to happen in the running world. Within 46 days of Bannister’s accomplishment, an Australian runner conquered the 4-minute mile. Then, three more runners beat the time within a year of Bannister’s record. To date, around 1,500 people have accomplished the goal.
Innovation demands that you release mental boundaries and explore beyond what you know to be true. Impossible is a myth, and it’s your turn to prove it.
Inspiring Quote
"There’s a way to do
it better – find it."
—Thomas Edison
See It For Yourself
Watch as Bannister paces himself to break the presumably impossible 4-minute mile marker in Oxford, England in 1954. In just under four minutes, Bannister dismantles the assumption that innovation requires perfect conditions and a boisterous crowd of tens of thousands of fans. This is what defeating the impossible looks like.
The company which is now worth $2 trillion started in a garage in Los Altos, California.
In 1974 a college drop-out turned video game designer partnered with an old high school friend to begin constructing a computer logic board. Just three years later, the second version of the logic board was introduced and Apple Computer was established.
Steve Jobs was able to understand something that many, including executives at the Hewlett-Packard Company, could not. Jobs knew that the personal computer would be a technological lure to users. Jobs’ innovative thinking was far ahead of its time.
In 1985, the tech mastermind was ousted from the very company he co-founded. Over the next decade, Jobs would go on to birth another firm, NeXT Inc. He would also acquire Pixar, the studio touted as the first to produce a completely computer-animated full-length feature film. And in 1996, when Apple experienced turmoil with its then-leader, Jobs was welcomed back to the brand as a consultant. Within a year the innovator was back at the helm of Apple.
By thinking outside the boundaries of reality, Jobs envisioned people holding miniature computers in their pockets. He innovated a complete digital experience - communication, internet access, and multi-media entertainment - in a way no one had imagined possible.
Just 10 years after he was appointed CEO of Apple, the first iPhone was introduced to the world. Of course, Apple went on to introduce world-changing technological products like the Macbook Air, iPod, and advanced versions of the iPhone. Jobs’ innovative mindset kept competitors constantly scrambling to mimic his creations. Which, arguably, never happened.
In the face of doubt and rejection, Jobs never stopped innovating. He was convinced his inventions would change the world. And, given that more than half of you reading this email are doing so on an iPhone, Jobs was right.
Inspiring Quote
"We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?"
—Steve Jobs
Worth the Watch
In this excerpt from Steve Jobs’ last interview with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher at the All Things Digital: D8 Conference in 2010, Steve shares what it takes to be a leader in the industry through bold and courageous actions, which lead, in many ways, to innovation and having an innovative mindset.
The sportswear company that sold 340 million pairs of shoes last year originated with a few small screw-in spikes in 1924. Adi Dassler used his mom’s kitchen in a small town in Bavaria, Germany to begin his mission to revolutionize footwear for athletes. In 1949, Dassler trademarked his brand’s infamous three-stripe design, and Adidas was officially born.
The desire and curiosity to tap into untested materials and methods, along with his time in history, pushed Dassler into a mindset of innovation. Being a German cobbler in post-war conditions meant finding materials to create shoes was a challenge all its own. Dassler used materials he found left as waste, like leather from Army helmets and belts.
A soccer player himself, Dassler needed a shoe that gave him better grip and agility on the field. He handcrafted spikes and inserted them through the bottom of the shoe sole. The first cleat was created in 1924, and just four years later, the now-infamous shoe made its debut on the global stage at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.
Dassler studied the shoes athletes were wearing, particularly football players and runners. He spoke with athletes about the challenges with their shoes and what they needed to perform at a higher level. Dassler didn’t innovate from nothing. He improved upon something that already existed, and made it drastically better.
What Dassler began nearly a century ago continues in today’s innovative designs. The brand’s latest advancements and technologies improve the athlete's experience and specific needs by tapping into latest materials and technologies. Over the course of his work, Dassler held more than 700 patents. Some significant, others forgotten, and many that are still used today in sporting equipment and shoes.
How can you be at the forefront of design and innovation in your industry? Craft your vision, and let nothing stop you from bringing it to life.
Inspiring Quote
"The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible."
—Arthur C. Clarke
Interesting Watch
Stories generate ideas, and ideas generate bigger ideas. Storytelling is an integral part of creative thinking and the innovation process. Mathew Luhn from Pixar breaks down what storytelling looks like inside one of the best storytelling companies in the world.
We live in a world filled with noise; wherever we go and whatever we do online, there’s always something that demands our attention. Our social media feeds are crammed with content and ads, and that’s nothing compared to the dark pits that can be our email inboxes. Navigating around these rabbit holes can be a minefield – even the good content can eat up away our time without our notice.
As designers and creatives, we need the mental space to think and refill the well. While it’s good to find inspiration from others, being overwhelmed by all that content can actually compromise on your creativity, and make it difficult to develop (or stay true to) your own authentic style. I’ve mentioned before the importance of being a sponge, but even a sponge can become over-saturated.
Here are 3 tips that I personally found working for me to becoming more productive and produce work at a higher level without distractions or noise from everything that surrounds us.
1. Mute the Noise & Detox Regularly
The first thing you need to do is mute the noise and do some form of a digital detox regularly. Social media has been our saving grace during the pandemic for connecting us to one another, and it’s a great place to network, market, and stay up to date with what’s happening in the world, but it can also be our downfall.
We are only able to handle so much outside information, so it’s a good idea to limit your social media time each day or detox completely for a day a week. Social media apps are often our go-to whenever we have a spare moment or feel stuck with our work, so an app blocker or site blocker is a great way to break the habit. If you intend to do a detox, consider deleting the app from your phone (you can always reinstall it) so you can’t instinctively open it.
Taking time away from social media can help you enjoy life more in the real world, as you are more present, and find inspiration in things that surround you that you never thought of to be inspiring. It can also give you the space to clarify exactly what you want from your design, life, or business, without the influence of what others are doing.
2. Clarify Your Goals
You’ll struggle to be productive if you don’t know what you’re being productive for. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the cycle of sharing every part of your works’ progress on social media, and it’s also easy to see what all the hundreds of other talented designers you follow are doing and decide to do the same. But what do you really want? If you don’t know for sure, then you need to step away from the computer (or your phone) and really think about it. Think about what you want for your art and your life. If you’re a multi-passionate person, it’s easy to jump from one project to the next, never focusing on any one thing long enough to make real progress.
When you take the time to clarify your goals and the vision you have for your life, you can check in weekly and daily and ask yourself if what you’re doing is driving yourself toward that vision. If so, you’re being productive. If not, you’re either procrastinating or not truly being productive. For example, my client work has to take top priority, but I also make sure to allow space in my schedule to prioritize other creative ideas, such as learning a new skill, creating a tutorial, writing, or preparing something for an awards submission. Note that I make space for it, I don’t try to do it all at once.
Time blocking (where you block out hours of your day to work on one particular task or goal) is a great way to ensure you are productive and actually make progress, rather than spreading yourself so thin that you can’t make any progress at all, so if you find yourself bouncing from design work, to admin, to watching a YouTube video and back again in the space of half an hour, it might be something to try. It will help you come to each task with the right energy.
3. Take a Break
This one may come as a surprise, but if you’re a workaholic or simply feeling overwhelmed, remember to take a step away from everything. I’m a working machine – if I’m not interrupted, I’ll often get sucked in, throw all my passion into what I’m doing, and push myself until I feel burnt out.
Of course, we’re not machines, and the best thing we can do for ourselves is to take a break. If you also too often forget that it’s okay to enjoy life now, as well as when you reach your goals, make sure you build time off into your schedule. Spend your evenings and weekends with friends and family, playing or watching sports, reading, watching films, and anything else that brings you joy and helps you relax.
These things will all give you new energy and a feeling of rebirth and renewed vigor, and that feeling of child-like wonder about the world. When your passion is also your career, you’ve got to nurture your creativity and not treat it like an inexhaustible supply. You’ve got to give it time to replenish, and that’s when you’ll feel most passionate and be most productive.
Productivity truly comes down to staying focused on your vision and going after your bigger goals, one at a time.
We all like to think we are the one person in the world who can multitask a million different things, but we can’t. When you focus on one thing at a time, you’ll be productive and even more importantly, make progress, and find the outcomes of your work have a much bigger impact and are more fruitful.
These are some thoughts and ideas that I personally think of when I need to boost my productivity and need to remind myself of getting back on track. What are some of the things you find useful to re-energize you and stop draining your creativity away?
Have you ever felt a sense of pride about something you have achieved, something worthy of being noticed and appreciated, or something you feel has the potential to grow and evolve?
If you’ve ever felt that incredible rush of possibility and passion, then you know how devastating it can be to get hit by a wave of negativity that knocks you flat and steals your moment of joy.
What’s worse is when that negativity comes in the form of someone near you who seems to make it their sole purpose in life to slow you down or discredit what you have done for no given reason.
Personally, I have experienced these types of personalities at different stages of my career — and from various different personalities. Being the generally positive person that I am, I’ve always wondered what the motive was behind someone’s unwillingness to share a piece of success with you. What could possibly be the reason that a fellow human would refuse to pat you on the back in your moment of triumph — especially when it would only make the two of you richer, kinder, and better?
Throughout my career, I’ve found that people generally fall into three categories. The first category is what I call “neutral people.” These individuals could not care less what you do, and rarely get hyped up or stressed about your actions. Honestly, this is a totally normal and acceptable thing (even if they aren’t the most inspiring to be around.)
The second category is those who push you to grow and succeed through encouragement and collaboration. They love to celebrate your success and achievements and make those special moments in your life more rewarding and joyful.
The third category? This toxic minority is what I refer to as “Haters.” They are a select few who choose to watch your every move and try to take you down before you can reach your goals. Driven by some strange desire to see the world burn, they fight tooth and nail to stop you — even though they have no involvement in what you are accomplishing.
Sounds terrible right? Sadly, this third group is a bit like a hidden virus, infecting nearly all aspects of your life — social media, school, work, family, and more.
So who are those personalities who make up the third group? Let’s break down the third type, and how you can use your understanding of why they are the way they are to push forward and succeed.
The 6 Strains Of Hater DNA
I thought it would be fun to do a break-down of the six traits of “The Hater’s DNA” based on my experiences of dealing with harsh, unforgiving personalities.
My hope is that by learning how to recognize these types of “Haters”, you can get a sense of what the driving force behind the hate and jealousy was and potentially turn it into a force for good.
1. The Ego Monster
The Ego Monster’s hate is typically fueled by a dangerously high level of ego and arrogance in which they surround themselves.
How can you spot an Ego Monster? Egocentric personalities never listen, and even if they do, they will quickly drive the conversation back to their personal opinions and twist the conversation to prove that only what they think is right and of any value.
When you are near an Ego Monster, there is nothing you can do (even if the rest of the world celebrates your idea) that they will like Why? Because it doesn’t align with what they think, like, or want. If they feel threatened, they will try to crush your idea to dust to prove to themselves and those around them how right they are — and ultimately discredit you of any value.
2. The Narcissist
This Narcissist group believes that the whole world revolves around them. (In fact, they won’t be happy that they are second on this list.) Whatever you do, say, act or perform, the Narcissist will find a way to link the entire situation back to them and assess things in a way that shines the light in their direction.
Now, how does this drive hate or jealousy? Well, when all you can care about is yourself and are unable to see outside the orbit of “I, Me, and Myself,” that selfishness will fuel a lot of negative thoughts in you.
I find that Narcissists are always looking for that great sense of importance and achievement. Therefore, every time somebody else achieves something that steals that potential importance, they feel as though a piece of them has been taken away. Their importance has been stolen, and someone has snatched up their chance of succeeding. What they fail to see is that success can be for all. Moments of fame and achievement don’t have to belong to one person or group.
3. The Procrastinator
I suspect that the Procrastinator is probably the group behind most of the angry, hate-filled messages you find on social platforms. Procrastinators are those people hiding behind their keyboards, making big statements that aren’t nice, constructive, or meaningful in any way.
What I see being the driving force for this group is their inability to put down any effort or time to achieve something unique. They find reasons to avoid growing or succeed.
Now, The Procrastinator may have once had dreams which they have now put on pause, or let drift away from their grasp due to their constant procrastination. This drives a sense of not wanting anybody else to succeed because it could potentially reveal their shortcomings and unwillingness to do something constructive and beneficial in life. It’s just too much effort!
4. The Hypocrite
The Hypocrites are people who subtly project hate. They are sneaky, as they will be all smiles and giggles with you at first. But behind your back, they quickly turn into a two-faced monster.
The Hypocrite will do everything they can to speak ill or gossip about you and your ideas. They thrive on trying to take you down in the eyes of everybody else.
From my personal experience, the Hypocrite can be found heavily in the corporate world. Their competition-turned-jealous rage drives work politics, and they will step on each other to get up the corporate hierarchy ladder as fast as they can. I have seen people across the hierarchy level gossip and trash their managers and colleagues all the time — yet show a different face in person.
5. The Copycat
A big part of what we do in on our road to success should be about giving back. Being a source of inspiration to others and discover that people mimic and copy what you do must be flattering, and surely indicates that you are succeeding at something.
However, there will always be a few that take copying to the next level. The Copycat will closely watch your every move, looking for ways to improve, grow, succeed on your original idea. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, when the Copycat reaches the top, they then try to push you down. Their mindset becomes to “be you and beat you”. The Copycat takes the process of acquiring a new skill and allows it to become untethered arrogance — losing humility along the way.
6. The Racist
The driving force behind the Racist is deep-seated racism and ignorance. The Racist chooses to discriminate against or dislike any successes by someone that doesn’t look or talk like them. They are professionals at judging and labeling people based on preconceived stereotypes.
The Racists will only celebrate and acknowledge great things that happen within their close network of friends and buddies, or with those with whom they share something in common. They would present your trash as gold and always be upbeat about what their kind has achieved.
It wouldn’t matter if two people came up with the same ideas and work. The Racist will totally discredit one while placing the other on a pedestal. Yet, the day that the relationship ends, the good compliments and acknowledgments dissipate like vapor.
Recoding The Hater DNA
Knowing how to identify the six strains of Hater DNA is only half the battle. The key is to know how to navigate these individuals because they are going to be part of your life and career.
Breaking things down and understanding the driving force behind someone’s intentions can hep to “recode” the Hater DNA. Rather than respond alike to a Hater’s actions, knowing what drives their actions eases the process of dealing with any of the six types. It diffuses a lot of situations, giving you an upper hand to deal with them in the right way — often without them even knowing it.
One thing to remember the next time you have to deal with a Hater who shows signs of jealousy or hate towards you is this: it’s much better for them to be busy looking at your success, rather than you wasting your time looking at theirs. Giving them a foothold in your mind and heart is a fuel that allows negative energy driven by jealousy to grow inside of you.
No matter how successful you become, one thing never goes away: Hater DNA. The negativity will always exist while you succeed. The difference is in how you respond. Remember that theri opinions ultimately don’t matter — not even one bit — and all their nonsense is nothing but, well, nonsense!
Let the knowledge that you are more powerful than Hater DNA be that which fuels you and keeps you on track to accomplish your goals and dreams. The more you grow and succeed, the more Haters will clinch on you to try to pull you down.
I heard a great line from Jeff Bezos, Founder & CEO of Amazon, that lays out this concept nicely:
“The only effective defense is to develop a thick skin, if you are doing anything interesting in the world you’re going to have critics, and if you absolutely can’t handle them then don’t do anything new or interesting.”
Being thick skin is important, but don’t let your thick skin keep you from being the positive, happy, and motivated DNA that the world needs. It is only when you exhibit that positive DNA that you will grow and enjoy the process of innovation. Never allow anyone to take that away from you because of how they behave.
Take hope. While this article has focused on the negatives of “The Haters DNA,” I have found that the overwhelming majority of people are positive, kind, and nice. Take the steps today to surround yourself with the right people to bring yourself more positive vibes. Your dreams and your potential to create world-changing innovations will thank you!
I was happy to answer some career-related questions on my Instagram, here are some of the questions, the full Q&A can be found on my Instagram page highlights. Hope you guys find it useful:
Q: Is it possible to get into a career based on 1 skill set?
A: Sure, theirs lots of people who are experts in 1 thing and they are the best at what they do. I personally think that's too risky and lowers your chances of working with different people and on different things. I like to see design as a holistic thing, and being versatile with multi-talents is much better and opens more doors. Of course, 1 person can't do everything, and even if they do it won't be the best outcome vs a team of experts doing things (not always because egos and politics can start to kick in and that's another story), but I think its good to master a task that you feel comfortable with across a spectrum and range of different areas within design (concept, brainstorm, sketch, 3D, prototype, etc...)
Q: How do I make people understand it's not just about pressing "Render"?
Depends on why you do what you do, theirs are always those who appreciate and those who don't, and those who understand and those who don't. Theirs lots of people who see designers as problem solvers who truly shape what this world looks like and how it functions in every field, medical/engineering/architecture etc..., and theirs those who look at designers as someone whose coloring in a coloring book like a kid. The best thing is to care less and do great work, and those who understand will notice it, and that's what really matters. Even more so, I think its all about you and the fulfillment you have, and the bar you set for yourself and how you raise it. So ya in a nutshell, who cares what others think.
Q: Have you hit a roadblock? If so what did you do to get around it and keep moving?
A: Ya no doubt, we all do, sometimes you're just not feeling it or are truly spaced out and can't get the inspiration you need. I think even though we hit our slumps and don't produce our best work at times, it's always good to have a process that you believe in and that works for you. Every designer's process can be different, but having one is key that will allow the job to get done from point start to finish and ensure at least some consistency in the designer people know you to be. I personally also find it very useful to jump from 1 project to another or shift my focus from what I'm doing, and subconsciously that kind of makes me think more about the project I'm stuck on and gives me more ideas. It's good to be a sponge, and get inspired by everything and everyone around you.
Q: How was your journey from the start to the point you are now?
A: Hustle hustle hustle. Always dreamed big and never stopped working for what I wanted and where I wanted to reach, and its not just about hustling and putting in the hours, but also being passionate about what you do and loving it because only then you won't really feel the stress or the grind. I interned at Ogilvy at the beginning of my career, then I interned at Nike which was a life-changing experience for me. I worked for Ogilvy in Dubai, then for EA Sports on FIFA in Vancouver Canada, Consulted for Nike Football and Basketball in Portland Oregon, and worked for Adidas in NYC. I also did lots and lots of freelance for different clients including Adidas since I was in college and some smaller ones when I was in high school. The experience has been great, but the biggest takeaway is always thinking about what comes next and not parking the bus where you are, that's where lots of talent dies when they feel too comfortable, or can't take the risk of imagining something bigger.
Q: How many hours a day did you practice when you were starting?
A: It's really countless and impossible to keep track of when you love something and do it day and night without having any expectations or being asked to do it by anyone. I started learning 3D when I was 16, and keep learning and doing new stuff to this day. That's the beauty of design in general, theirs no limit to what you can do except how you limit yourself.
Q: I'm an Industrial Design student looking for an internship. Should I go with a studio or a core company?
A: If you could choose that would be great, but I don't think that's the case, usually they are the ones who choose, definitely apply for all and see what you get. I think theirs advantages to both small studios and big companies. In smaller studios, you can do more work and grow from the work you do, but the downside is you probably aren't working on projects as big as those in bigger companies. In big companies, you get to work with many talented people and grow by seeing how others do things and learning from each other's skill sets, but you are probably working in a particular role. Getting into a big company will open the door for you to work with big and small companies. Working with small studios won't necessarily impact your getting into bigger companies unless the work and projects are really good, which is not uncommon. So ya weigh your options, but if it were me, i would go for the big company if I felt I was ready for it.
Q: What is a key quality a designer should have when aiming for their dream company/location?
A: Be super focused on your dream and goals, and be clear on why you want what you want. As much as big companies are fun and great to work for, on a day-to-day basis it definitely has their challenges and downsides too. I think having confidence in yourself and your vision is the number 1 thing that matters, not only would it be what drives you not to give up, but it will also show in your communication and work when you interview.
Q: How is the future of 3D in footwear design from a designer's standpoint?
A: Definitely growing, huge trend with generative stuff at the moment and I think we are just at the tip of the iceberg. I think looking at any product through the lens of 3D is not the right approach. 3D is an amazing tool, and if you mix it in your process and blend it with different processes, I think that's where innovation and magic happen.
Q: Besides education, what are the most important qualifications that sports companies look for?
A: Portfolio is key, and the way you present it is super important.
The projects need to be well executed and presented in a strong way.
It's good to show at least 5 projects in the area you are applying for.
Cool concepts alone are not enough, companies look for insights, the story behind the idea, and your process. Having looked at many portfolios at work or while teaching, I can say that many fresh graduating students miss out on this part.
The projects need to land and make sense and be realistic. Needs to feel both functional and look extremely beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint.
Q: What's your number 1 tip to shape your career?
A: I think my biggest aha moment has been that I don't want to be wasting the days of my life fulfilling someone else's dream. My number 1 advice is that you need to own your future and what you want to be. Do it because it makes sense to you, your family, and your circumstances. Wanting to reach a career goal for other reasons will slow you down and take you off track without even knowing.
Q: What does your learning method look like?
A: I think whether you are a beginner or expert nothing beats a good tutorial, as they come in different paces, styles, and levels. Being inspired by others, observing the way they work, and adapting bits and pieces of their methods to yours that you can resonate with is great too. I don't think it's a good thing for you to try to copy someone else 100% as everyone has their own style and own ways of feeling the process and feeling what's good and bad. Learn as much as you can but also find your own style and way of doing things.
