Does experience matter?

t’s that time of year: New Year’s resolutions are starting to bubble up (can be fun) and EOY performance reviews (definitely less fun) are making a hasty and probably shoddily put together appearance in the workplace.

(May I just suggest initiating an effort to review the performance of your supervisor instead?)

I remember starting out, desperate for any opportunity to gain hands-on skills and build knowledge that could fit neatly into a bullet point on my resume. Looking back, there are two patterns I can recognize:

Failure and doubt.

Now let me tell you a secret. After nearly two decades these patterns persist. I still fail. I still doubt.

But I have the experience—the EVIDENCE—to understand that these patterns can serve me well.

Every experience I’ve ever had, every win, loss…

Every cringe worthy moment where I ok-ed a humongously expensive print job and spelled Massachusetts wrong. Again.

Every time I had to speak up and defend my work against the egos of very sensitive men. 🤷🏻‍♀️

These experiences create layers. Each one layers on top of the other, creating depth, richness, KNOWLEDGE.

But—no, AND you know what? There is value in a blank(er) slate!

Sometimes when you’ve had so many experiences, you start to anticipate the answer, the outcome. You can’t see the background. Your imagination can run dry.

That’s when it’s time to reach out, to listen, to engage with those who have “less experience.” You know, fresh eyes as they say.

Everyone is valuable, because everyone can learn something from one another.

So try. Fail. Listen. Let doubt be fuel for seeking knowledge, guidance, help.

Go out and get experience.

Just try to make sure you get paid to do it.

#dobusinessdifferently #creatives #smallbusiness #follow #careercoaching #design #freelancer #experience #peanutbutterpurpose #workingartist #shoottheladder #nonconformist