A look back at 2009 and a few resolutions for 2010.

Freelancing

The year 2009 has been very important to me.
In August I quit my unsatisfying day job and became a full-time freelancer. It is the best professional decision I ever made. I’m still building up momentum but I have faith in my capabilities and I’m sure 2010 will be a great year for my career.
If I don’t succeed in making a decent living as a freelance designer I will have to go back to day jobs and I will quit design for good.

My experience has shown me that the only way to be a creative professional is as a freelancer. At least in Italy and Poland, where I’ve worked.
I worked in five different companies and among 50+ co-workers I haven’t found one who was satisfied of the job, respected the bosses and agreed with their way of doing business. I’m not just talking about designers here.
Were we all jerks? Maybe, but in all those years and all those companies I have never been praised, my abilities have never been exploited and my work has never been properly rewarded. All things that magically started to happen when I became a freelancer. I don’t think that’s a coincidence or a fluke.

Working for someone else was taking away everything that’s good about design and would have certainly driven me to another profession had I not saved myself from my own misery.
What were my options? Grovel for yet another mindless job at yet another agency, hoping to win a poorly paid position doing menial work?
After I graduated in Architecture in 2004 I didn’t consider for a second working in that field because I knew what awaited me (see above). I chose design hoping to do interesting, varied work with fast deadlines and good economic turnouts. I was wrong.

Back to the summer of 2009. The moment I entered full-time freelancing and blogging I immediately started to collect praise for my work. Work I had chosen to do. Three months later I find myself having completed interesting jobs, having developed important contacts with high-profile professionals in my field and having met interesting colleagues online. And all this is only going to improve in 2010.

Employee work turned my passion into a miserable job. Freelancing turned that miserable job back into a passion. Enough said.

Mac

After 14 years using Windows I’m going to switch to the Mac in 2010.
I consider Windows a misfortune to the world. Microsoft has slowed down progress with its inferior products and appalling market tactics. Just think of how Internet Explorer has held back the development of the technologies, the features and the usability of the Internet. Recent news that Firefox is now the most popular browser in the world make me happy. There might be hope for us yet.

Imagine waking up every day and spending 15 hours with someone you hate. That’s the story of me and Windows.
I don’t care about the Windows vs. Mac discussions, features vs. prices, hardware comparisons and smug ad campaigns, I’m switching.
When is an open question. I’d like to buy a 27″ iMac but reports of multiple screen issues are holding me back. In the meantime I’ll still have to grind my teeth and take it like a man.

2010 resolutions

Here’s what I intend to do with 2010:

• I’ll work harder and better at my design career.
• I will switch to the Mac.
• I might start a pet project. I have a few ideas scattered across my notepads and right now I’m weighing my possibilities.
• I will improve my drawing skills with daily sketching sessions. This will certainly provide relief from my schedule and result in better work for my clients.
• I will set up a daily piano practice routine. I have been teaching myself to play the piano for two years now but freelancing has taken up all of my time in 2009. Music is my first true love and I just can’t let it slip away.
• I will take a proper holiday. I mean sun, beach, sea, food, drinks, music, travel, laughs, sex, adventure, life. I haven’t had a proper holiday in almost 6 (six) years. Don’t ask me why, just be sympathetic.

Yes, 2010 will kick ass! Let’s all work towards that goal.

Some words of thanks

I’ll finish this article with some due thanks.

First of all thanks to all those who appreciated my work. Clients, readers of Cute Little Factory and the other blogs that feature my work and everybody who contacted me with good words and advice. Grazie! Dziękuję!

A special thanks goes to Sean Hodge, former editor of Psdtuts+ and editor of Vectortuts+, for believing in my work and giving me the chance to create numerous articles for the Tuts+ network. Not only have they brought me exposure, praise from the readers and good clients, they have also given me the chance to contribute to the design community.

Finally I have to thank my family, friends and ex-colleagues who encouraged me to jump into my career, expressed useful appeciation and critique of my work and gave continuous support. You know who you are.