The big question or big quest
But why wouldn’t I just use a click-and-drop site instead of reinventing the wheel? It’s so much easier, right?! That’s what I used to tell myself. But what I didn’t realize was that I was only limiting my design capabilities and skillset.
We’ve all been there. We want to test out the latest and greatest cheap software program with grand promises of an easy-to-use drag and drop platform that will change your life, make you an overnight millionaire, and rake in all the customers and SEO to your page then you can fathom. The reality check sets in when you soon discover the hours of hair-pulling, brain-numbing, waste of your time and money when the buttons don’t work, the back office is a nightmare, and the monthly costs are draining your bank account and landing you nowhere. And your website? Well, that’s nothing short of laughable because there are only so many allotted spaces for things to go. So much for easy and painless.
So what now? Most of us can’t afford the time and money needed to uplevel. Maybe like me, you don’t have the years and thousands of dollars to put into design school. The visions of endless possibilities seem too far-reaching…or is it? Do you suck it up and go back to school? Do you fall into the endless pit of youtube to learn? What other alternatives are available and won’t cost you wasted time and money?
Ok. Don’t get me wrong. Proper education is never a bad thing, but it’s always great to know you have options. Here’s how I learned and what might help you too:
1. Keep an open mind and be coachable.
In the beginning, the idea of doing anything outside of my comfort zone of Canva and click funnels was daunting. I had to let go of my pride and allow myself to be challenged and test what I already knew. When I allowed myself to let go of “but I already know that” or “I could never learn that” or “but why can’t I do it in Canva? It’s so much easier!” Then, I started to learn something. At first, I thought I was dying. I spent as many hours figuring out how to do essential things like “how to remove a background” as I did crying in frustration. But I didn’t die, and eventually, it got easier, and things started to make sense.
2. Google & YouTube are your best friends.
After letting go of my pride and realizing the answers to all of my questions and frustrations were a Google or YouTube search away, I began to realize how much knowledge I had at my fingertips. To this day, I keep a log of every useful tip and tool so that if I learned something new and needed to come back to it later, I always have the information easily accessible. We live in a world of limitless knowledge and information. The best part? It’s completely FREE!!
3. Education doesn’t have to be expensive!
There are now so many incredible and affordable education platforms for just pennies on the dollar and a small fraction of the cost of a formal college education. Udemy and LinkedIn Learning are just a few of the many education websites available. LinkedIn offers over 30,000 trainings for just a meager $30 a month (and after a generous free 30 day trial) you can learn from some of the best in any industry on any topic imaginable and can even earn a LinkedIn verified certification on each training completed. Although a piece of paper and hours of study may not matter as much on a resume, the ability to say “experienced in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, In Design, Premiere and After Effects” could land you your next high-paying design job! I would say that’s definitely worth the $30 a month and a few hours of committed time per week.
4. Intern for a design or marketing company
As a full-time mom and entrepreneur for many years, I never thought I would see myself working in a corporate environment. Still, despite the initial culture shock and adjustments to a regular 8-5 job, I can honestly say I am very grateful that this opportunity came to me when it did. Interning for a marketing company has stretched me both personally and professionally. It has taught me a lot about myself and what I want to achieve. When interning for a marketing company, I never know what to expect, and my adult ADD self appreciates the consistent change in routine. I am challenged with projects and learning new skills every day in ways I would never be able to on my own. In some ways, it IS my college education. I have amazing mentors and leaders who help me discover my potential, stretch and challenge me, and help me grow in ways I never thought possible.
For all you would be designers out there!
I can honestly say that my confidence has sky-rocketed in a concise period of time, and the skills and knowledge I have gleaned in that time with the affordable and invaluable resources available to anyone with a laptop and the internet is well worth the investment. In a short time, using these invaluable skills will take you from very limited and basic design skills to create anything on a grand scale and land yourself high-paying and competitive jobs in the design market. Now I can design almost anything from scratch quickly and confidently. If I can learn how anyone can. You have to be willing to grow and stretch your comfort zone, but the short-term sacrifice will be well worth the long-term rewards.
Want to learn more about how you can become a great design/marketing expert like Jentrey?
Learn more at www.9xmarketing.com