Imagine jumping out of a plane with nothing but a piece of fabric, nylon ropes, a sewing needle, and headphones (because music makes everything better). That’s how it often feels to commit to projects you know nothing about and figure things out on the go.
It can be terrifying, but it can also be so much fun! I believe you can figure out almost anything as long you are having fun. When I say fun, I mean the Edna Mode kinda fun, not the Joker one.
I remember working on a design project for a restaurant. Parul Vahanvati and I were nearly done with their serveware and other requirements when the owners asked us if we could create a Calder Mobile for the restaurant. For those who don’t know, Calder Mobiles are a form of suspended delicate sculptures introduced by Alexander Calder.
I had always been fascinated by Calder Mobiles, but we had no idea how to make them. A sane thing to do would have been to say no, but the curious mind prevailed. We committed to building a Calder Mobile for this restaurant. We had a lot of homework to do, but it was exciting. We conceptualized, designed, and successfully created a Calder Mobile that was 18 ft wide and 12 ft tall. The Mobile today hangs to the restaurant’s ceiling, shifting shapes and drifting in circles with each breath of wind.
This sense of curiosity and pursuit of fun has also served me well in Rayden Interactive. I think it’s an important quality to have when you work in a tech world that’s constantly changing.
Of course, one needs to be careful and assess the project and the risks associated before committing. We agreed to make Calder Mobile, but if we were approached to build a nuclear reactor, we probably would have turned it down.
So, keep embracing those new challenges. Be a little adventurous. Be a little careful. Figure things out. And most importantly, have fun!