“If no one’s upset by what you’re saying, you’re probably not pushing hard enough.” — Rework by Jason Fried of 37signals

In the midst of my current redesign (and about fifty tossed ideas later) I came across the above quote which I engraved in my mind for the remainder of my redesign efforts. I used it not as a tool to make excuses for a potential bad design and negative reaction, but a stepping stone to break away from normalities and try something different and unfamiliar.

I’ve been truly grateful for the success of the Design Cubicle. Existing among one of the more popular traffic-driven design blogs on the internet, I did not want to have that same “big blog” feel (you might even notice I eliminated the sidebar ads). I never set out for those goals and did not want to give off that impression. I started The Design Cubicle to connect with other designers and those in need of design services. I wanted to share my passion and experiences. I also didn’t want to play it safe (in terms of the redesign direction) in fear of rejection. Personal discoveries and break-throughs will never be unearthed by playing it safe. Heck, even new trends cannot be set without at least one person taking a chance. Instead I wanted my own personal voice to be heard and seen — something my first design did not do well with.

As a web designer, when looking for inspiration I tend to look offline for ideas that will usher a direction. Something as simple as a book cover’s color palette, a typeface used in an old bus station, a texture or pattern from old architecture, and so on. Inspiration is everywhere, just look around you.

Even though I keep an inspiration collection in Little Snapper of online / web inspiration I seldom open this up when starting a new project; although I might come back to it once the project is underway and direction is established. The reasoning is to keep myself from repeating. Many times inspiration can indirectly lead to repeating and playing it safe. Sure playing it safe will always “work”, however, if you are not pushing boundaries because you are afraid of what people will say then you are not exploring and growing. You never know when that silly idea will turn into the next big trend.

Some of my favorite web designs are ones that I first initially said, “Wow, thats different…. not quite sure if I like it,” only to come back a few weeks later and absolutely fall in love with it. Once the initial shock of it looking “different” wore off I was able to dive into it and pull apart the elements that make it unique, engaging and beautiful. A month or so later we start seeing other websites germinating like weeds in the spring time following similar directions and techniques. Is it because the unfamiliar direction was approved by at least one other person? Probably so. Is it because you possibly had a similar thought a few months prior to seeing the “different” website but feared being rejected by some? Possibly. Either way, we should never let fear of rejection get in the way of trying something new. If no one is disagreeing what we are doing then we are probably being boring. It’s like little boys learned about the girls as they grow up: girls love the “bad boys.” But why? Because they are unpredictable and never boring. Treat your next web design as a new relationship. Impress him or her with your unpredictability and explore different options. There is always more than one way to solve a problem. Passing through solution A will help you discover a better solution in B.

A while back I read an article by @MikeKus talking about the direction for Carsonified’s website. After endless revisions, his final inspiration was discovered while jogging past a store sign that was hanging from a window. Carsonified’s website was one of which I said “not quite sure if I like this” and now, it is now one of my favorite websites. My first reactions were most likely a result of it looking unlike the rest. It was a bit daring and unorthodox, but this is what makes it truly beautiful and unique. A design that sets itself apart and will be remember as Carsonified’s. You could view that site from a hundred feet away and only glance at it for a second before knowing which site it is. How many websites can you say that about?

As not only designers, but as people in general, throughout our entire life we try so hard to gain acceptance by our peers, often forgetting what our own voice sounds like. Next time you design a website or your own portfolio think about the 37signals quote and push boundaries in light of showing the world your unique perspective. Step away from the online inspiration galleries and into the beautifully crafted world around you. Forget what people tell or think about you and go with your intuition.

The above article was not only to reach out but written for myself as well. We have all fallen guilty of this at one point in our careers. Even if living on the bold side of things isn’t for you, try at least one thing different in your next work and build around that idea. Without pushing boundaries the world around us remains stagnant and lifeless.