originality is born of risk.

Paulo Coelho was asked to speak on "the fear of failure". Below is a short video of the Brazilian wordsmith's advice.
I quote:
"After sending a new book, or a new article...to the publisher or the newspaper, I sit down, I breathe, and I say, 'I did my best. I put all my love [into this], I did it with all my heart. So whether they are going to like it or not...is irrelevant. Because I liked it. I'm committed to the thing that I did.' And so far, nobody ever refused it or criticized it. ....when you put love and enthusiasm into your work, even if people don't see it, they realize it is there; that you did this with all your body and soul. So I encourage you to do this, and don't worry about the fear of failure. The important thing is to move beyond this fear and to do what you think you should do."


Paulo Coelho – on the fear of failure. from Berghs' Exhibition '11 on Vimeo.

In the world of so-called graphic design, we see a lot of so-so work which, while it might be trendy, looks like everyone else's work. A few exemplary graphic artists push the boundaries; the rest of us stay within them and imitate things we've already seen. Yes, there are time restrictions and client briefs. But I wonder at the huge spectrum of work we'd produce if each person put his own heart and soul into his work, developing a style as unique as his fingerprint or personality. Instead, we just do whatever keeps the money rolling in as quickly as possible.

I often design in an environment with rigid deadlines and clientele who haven't worked with a graphic designer before. I love to try something that seems a little crazy for the world in which I work. What will the conservative client think of the hot pink circle, or the oversized bracket? Some of my best projects have happened when I took a totally different and new direction. When I ditched the corporate colour, scrapped the original copy, because I didn't feel it.

Routine design feels half-hearted. Enthusiastic design brims with new ideas born of a mind that is always learning, growing and creating. The difference is tangible.

I love to see artists whose work is fresh, unique. Over the past few years, I've watched whimsical North American artists (I have a soft spot for whimsy!) like Katie Daisy, Rifle Design, Woodward Design and Colour Me Katie do work that is fun—and gets the job done. A memorable, recognizable look. A style people can't outsource in China. An aesthetic that draws clients like bees to honey. There's power in what Paulo Coelho speaks of—"when you put love and enthusiasm in your work, even if people don't see it, they realize it is there." They like it, because it's oozing originality and creativity. They value it, because they can't find it anywhere else. And they want more.