When uncertainty makes things hard, become elastic

MoMA - Design and the Elastic Mind
Image by pt via Flickr

The world is a scary place when no one knows what’s going to happen next. All the models that told us how the economy and markets would behave aren’t working. It’s time for all of us to change but no one knows exactly how. But if you resist change, chances are you’ll break under the pressure and end up out of work or out of business.

I used to feel that success only came from staying true to my work and standing up to challenges. That I should fight for standards and fight for the ideas behind my work. And this may have been true a decade ago.

But lately, success for me has come more often when I’ve become elastic. By bending with conflict and embracing the challenges and making the solution better than the battered idea.

Another way is in relearning how to do things. Applying what I already know to new situations and new realities. How so?

Applying copywriting skills to social media.

Using photography skills to make small budgets go farther.

Applying television production experience to Web video.

And using any down time to advance digital knowledge.

These are just a few ways I’m trying to become elastic in how I work. Years ago I would have fought for the killed idea or to stay on the big budget job. Now I’m elastic and embracing the change. I hope you become elastic too.

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Posted on: March 19, 2010, by :