What are you driven by? What makes you wake up each morning with a smiling face? Sadly, not as many people have that opportunity, as many are forced to struggle to just survive in this new world and new economy.

I worked hard over the last 20 years and I’m in a much more comfortable spot right now. But that also means I need to use that position for good. Otherwise my reason for being would be purely selfish and I don’t want that.

Creator economy

To some successful people — let’s say in the creator economy — the numbers are what matters. Their first 100K followers, their first 1 Million and so on. They quickly pick up on the notion to monetize what they do.

After all, building an audience is hard work. (it really is.)

Don’t get me wrong. I believe that someone providing value CAN and likely SHOULD monetize their work. It allows people who provide value to be able to have more time to provide MORE value.

It’s a win-win.

However…

The push to monetize at all costs lead to a huge decline in trust. If your mentor is now using half the time of a video or a post to sell you something, the balance is shaken.

If they go in an unethical way, promoting theft, plagiarism or evil businesses (and there’s plenty of those out there) it means they lost their soul for money.

What is my vision?

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I didn’t start educating people because I had a grand vision about it. My very first entry into education was due to the fact that I moved to another city, didn’t know anyone and simply wanted to participate in the local community. That was in 2017. I did my first design class in 

Sketch

For an introvert going from a room like this …

The class was well received, pleasantly stroking my ego. I felt really good about myself for a while. What followed was an invite to teach at the university, writing of my book, lots of big league industry events and more.

to a stage like that is NOT easy.

Success, right?

To many that would mean success. They’d simply sit back and enjoy the fame and glory of being a recognized industry professional™ (that even sounds silly when read out loud)

But very early on, while still doing what I discovered was bringing me joy I started searching for my underlying purpose. Why am I *really* doing this?

I was teaching, I was creating content, I wrote the book. But what was the WHY?

Then in early 2021 I got this email:

The story was simple. Someone reached out to me for help and guidance. I actually had some free time so decided to jump on a call or two with her and guide her with her projects. For free. And without asking for anything in return. I wasn’t shilling my courses, books or anything.

It was a simple question: can you help me? And I said yes.

That email touched me, especially considering the (omitted here) sad parts of her story. I felt like I found that purpose.

Not going to lie, that warm feeling inside, that came as a result of all this, is likely an ego-driven reason as well. I’m no saint. But I realised there’s nothing better than seeing I made a positive difference in a life of someone on the other side of the world.

This is my vision.

My main goal is to help people. Not just with their design jobs, as I believe that’s only part of the story. I want them to be happy, fulfilled humans, full of joy and wonder, curiously exploring the world around us and making it better.

That’s why I focus so much (next to design) on mental and physical health, growth, mindsets and more.

Teaching you to move some rectangles in a design tool can be cool and all, but it’s not the whole story and it won’t make you happy on its own.

My main goal is to help people.

The money part

Since that email I have gotten exactly 49 emails like that in 2021 alone. That means there’s almost 50 people around the world that I nudged a tiny bit (because the hard work and full credit is all theirs) and that their lives are now better.

Some of them, I gave some free hints and answered their questions. Some are people who decided to purchase my stuff.

But now, knowing my vision I can better articulate what I was feeling all along. I am NOT selling courses and books to be rich. I am selling them, to be able to have more time to do all the free stuff, and with both the free and the paid, to simply make those positive changes.

I have limited time each day — obviously — but I’m doing all I can to at least give someone an answer to their question and guide them in the right direction.

That also means I will only do paid partnerships with brands that do good and that I believe are really beneficial — which pretty much means those will be VERY rare on my YouTube channel.

Thank you

If you’ve been with me on this journey, thank you! Because of all the messages, chats and interactions in the last few years, I have become a better version of myself and I am eternally grateful to all of you for teaching me how.

Your positive change is my reason!

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