Designing for Myself – Why I’m My Toughest Client
I hate designing for myself. As designers, we spend our days helping clients build beautiful, cohesive brands, guiding them through colour palettes, typography choices, and the importance of consistency. We become their biggest cheerleaders, celebrating their brand’s launch with as much enthusiasm as if it were our own. But when it comes to designing for ourselves? It’s a whole different story.
My new website is FINALLY live. You’d think this would be a quick and easy project, right? After all, it’s my business, my vision, my content. But here’s the truth: it took me almost three months to get it done. And even now, as I write this, I still see it as a work in progress. Why? Because I am my toughest critic, my most indecisive client, and let’s be honest, a bit of a nightmare to work with.
The Struggle Is Real
If you’re a fellow designer reading this, you’re probably nodding in agreement. Designing for clients? A breeze in comparison to designing for yourself. Suddenly, every decision feels monumental. “Is this the right shade of blue? Should I change the logo font (again)? Does my branding align with who I am and the clients I want to attract?” I’ve been known to obsess over a single element or font for hours—something I would never let a client do.
We preach the importance of brand consistency to our clients, making sure they stay on tone and on brand. But when it’s our turn? We’ve got a million ideas, constantly evolving tastes, and that nagging urge to change everything up because we saw another design on Pinterest that we loved.
Psychology 101: Why We’re Our Own Worst Clients
So, what’s really going on here? Why do we, as designers, struggle so much when it comes to creating for ourselves? It turns out there’s some psychology behind it.
Perfectionism Paralysis: Designers are, by nature, detail-oriented perfectionists. But when we’re our own clients, there’s no one to rein us in. We keep tweaking, revising, and rethinking, chasing an impossible standard of “perfect.” The truth is, perfection doesn’t exist. And if it did, we’d probably change our minds about it anyway.
The Curse of Too Many Options: When working with clients, we’re given parameters—a brand story, target audience, clear objectives. These limitations help us focus. But when it’s our own project? The sky’s the limit! And that can be paralysing. With so many possibilities, it’s hard to settle on one direction. We’re like kids in a candy store, overwhelmed by all the shiny options.
Imposter Syndrome: Let’s face it, even the most seasoned designers deal with this sneaky little voice that says, “Is this good enough?” When it’s your own brand, it feels like a reflection of who you are, so the pressure is cranked up to eleven. We worry that our peers will judge us, that we won’t live up to our own expectations, and that maybe, just maybe, we’re not as good as we think we are.
The Never-Ending Work in Progress
So yes, my website took me three months to complete, and I’m sure I’ll be tweaking it for the next three years (or forever). But you know what? That’s okay. Branding is a journey, not a destination. As creatives, we’re always growing, learning, and refining our skills. It’s only natural that our own brands will evolve along with us.
I’ve come to accept that my website will probably never feel “done.” And maybe that’s the beauty of it. It’s a living, breathing representation of where I am right now in my creative journey. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be me.
A Lesson for Fellow Designers (and Myself)
To any designers out there struggling with their own branding, here’s a little pep talk: Don’t let perfectionism hold you back. Your brand doesn’t have to be flawless before you put it out into the world. Done is better than perfect, and you can always refine as you go.
Remember, the same advice you give to your clients applies to you too. Consistency is key, but that doesn’t mean you can’t evolve. Be kind to yourself, embrace the process, and let your brand grow with you. After all, if we waited until everything was perfect, we’d never launch anything!
So here’s to all the designers, creatives, and perfectionists out there—let’s stop being our own worst clients. Let’s give ourselves the same grace, patience, and encouragement we give to the people we work with. And let’s remember: sometimes, good enough really is good enough.