I’m Not Good Enough: Struggling Thoughts on Architecture and Design
“I’m not good enough.”
It’s a phrase that many people who are just starting out on their journey of architecture and design have said to themselves at one point or another. When you’re in the middle of your work, surrounded by other talented designers, it can be hard to feel like you measure up. But guess what? That’s okay!
The truth is, everyone has these moments. You might have amazing potential for becoming a successful designer, but there is always that doubt in your mind where you think you’re not as “good” as everyone else. Others seem to be excelling all the time. It’s not just you.
It doesn’t matter if this is your first year or even your fourth or fifth, there will be moments where you feel like the least talented person in your field. It might seem like everyone else can do things better than you — they’re building beautiful designs with great clients. Where are the projects you dreamed of?
It’s okay to feel this way. That feeling is there for a reason and it might be because you’re doubting yourself, questioning your skill level or abilities. When that doubt takes over, the temptation is always to quit — but don’t let those feelings have power over you! The next time you start getting down on yourself just remember how talented of an architect/designer you are and try not to compare yourself with someone else’s success (even if they are doing better than you).
You can still do great things without letting others’ work overshadow yours. And at the end of the day, even if we aren’t as good as everyone else out there that doesn’t mean we aren’t good enough, it just means our unique talents and skills will be different. It only matters what you do. How you grow your talent and skills that you have.
Life is and should not be about the comparison of you to the rest of the world. Too often we look at others for validation and worth.
Don’t let the comparison of your work to someone else’s make you feel bad about yourself. It might be time to reassess how we measure success in our lives. Maybe it’s truly just being happy with what we do and sharing our love of design with people around us.
So don’t compare yourself to other designers. Focus on building up your skillset through practice! What matters most as an architect/designer is developing your own unique talents and skillsets — so go back out there, get inspired by those around you, keep practicing.
