Focus on time and energy
Naval stresses how important time and energy are, especially in creative fields. As a designer, your time is your most important resource. How you use it affects both the quality and the amount of work you produce.
Time advice from the book, for designers:
Shape the work so you avoid unnecessary distraction.
Prioritise projects that give long-term value, ahead of quick rewards.
Use your energy when you are most productive, not when you are exhausted.
Specialisation and a particular value
Naval talks a lot about finding your specific talent, the place where you can stand out. For a designer that means a niche or a way of working that makes you particular in a crowd.
How to find that value:
Name what makes you different: your style, your technique, or your approach.
Build your personal brand around that talent.
Experiment, and find your own way, instead of following every trend.
Leverage: work smarter, not only harder
A key word in the book is leverage: getting more result with less effort. For designers that means the right tools, technology and people, so productivity can rise without giving up quality.
Ways designers can use leverage:
Automate repeated tasks such as file conversion, version control or publishing.
Work with other experts where you are weak.
Build a portfolio that works for you around the clock, so it draws clients without you chasing them.
Wealth and freedom
Naval talks about what wealth actually means, and how it can be used for freedom. That value matters to designers too. For Naval, wealth is not necessarily money. It is time, and the freedom to work on what you love.
How designers can build wealth and freedom:
Build more than one stream of income, through freelance work, products or curated services.
Invest in long relationships with clients, so you can choose the projects you care about.
Keep a financial buffer, so you can be creative without money pressing on every decision.
Continuous learning and curiosity
To keep going as a designer you have to keep learning, which is exactly what Naval argues. The technology, the tools and the trends change, and staying current is an advantage.
Learning tips from Naval, for designers:
All knowledge is useful. Explore new fields, learn to code, or learn a new design tool.
Invest in your own library of books, courses or mentoring.
Stay curious, and look for inspiration in other industries, cultures and art forms.
Points worth keeping
Use your time well. Avoid distraction and focus on work that means something.
Find your own style. Specialise in something that sets you apart.
Use leverage. Work smarter with tools and collaboration.
Build freedom through wealth. Several sources of income, and relationships that give you creative room.
Keep learning. Stay current with new technology and new trends.
Closing
Naval's philosophy is about a meaningful life through deliberate choices, and attention to what actually matters. For designers that means building a career around what you care about, protecting your creative time, and working towards the freedom to design on your own terms. Each design decision can be a step towards that freedom, defined by you.
Source and inspiration: https://www.navalmanack.com