Good morning, early birds.
Today, I woke up thinking about something that's been on my mind for a while when it comes to transitioning into the UX design industry. There are so many skills that people are trying to cram during the transition process from one career to the next. That's to be expected. You need to learn a ton of different skills. It's a totally different environment so I don't think that concept is unusual. But, there's one thing that matters more than anything else during this transition period. People who have this are almost guaranteed to succeed. And to me, "success" is defined in 2 ways that are not mutually exclusive. Success means that you (1) got your first full-time job and (2) you're excelling as a first-time product designer. Longevity matters. Alright, so let's talk about what matters most.
Every person that I've coached or mentored who has successfully transitioned into the UX design industry share one common trait. Discipline. This is what matters most. Discipline means that you're consistently and methodically working towards a goal. It means that your priorities are extremely clear and you have self-control. In a time of transition, chaos is normal but it also means that you need to have a plan to navigate through the chaos in order to get to your goal. Those who don't have discipline will get lost and the distractions will quickly derail their progress. Those who do have discipline will be able to shut out the noise, focus on their work, manage burn out, and make intentional decisions that inch them forward every day. Discipline is often built on structure, routine, and resilience. It's not a trait that's quick to develop or easy to switch on at any time. Disciplined people are tireless workers, hungry to learn, and are laser focused on their goals. Their structure and routine is sacred. While others are playing and taking vacations, the disciplined are working.
Being disciplined is what matters most because it's what pushes you through the work that's needed to successfully transition into a new career. It's also what most people don't have which makes it a massive advantage for you. I'm also not minimizing the importance of acquiring other skills during this process like Figma, research methodologies, visual design, etc. but what I am saying is that having discipline is the catalyst for being able to build all the skills and experience you need.
How would you rate your discipline right now? Are you doing everything you can to get to your goal? What is your top priority and how is your life structured around that? The process of transitioning into the UX design field isn't easy. What are you doing to make things happen?