Digest

Debbie Millman, a graphic designer, author, and podcaster, shares her journey into design, highlighting her initial rejection from a student newspaper and her subsequent path to becoming a successful designer. She discusses the importance of perseverance and the need to understand the perspective of those who reject you. Millman also shares her personal experiences with abuse and how she has used those experiences to help others through her work with the Joyful Heart Foundation. She talks about her experience with the Speak Up blog, where she was initially vilified for her work, but ultimately found a community of designers and writers who shared her passion for design and criticism. Millman also discusses her relationship with Milton Glazer, a renowned graphic designer, and how his summer intensive class in 2005 had a profound impact on her life. She shares an exercise that Glazer used to teach his students, where they had to envision the life they could have if they pursued everything they wanted with the certainty that they would succeed. Millman now uses this exercise with her own students, encouraging them to dream big and not to edit their dreams. She also discusses her decision to leave her full-time job at a branding consultancy and the importance of making hard decisions, even when they are terrifying. Millman emphasizes that agonizing over a decision is often harder than the outcome itself, and that it's okay to quit if a decision doesn't feel right. She also highlights the importance of courage over confidence, emphasizing that taking the first step is more important than waiting for a sense of security or confidence.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction and Sponsor Announcement

This Chapter introduces the episode and its sponsor, AG1, a daily foundational nutritional supplement. The host, Tim Ferris, highlights the benefits of AG1 and his personal experience using it for over a decade.

00:04:55

Neil Gaiman: Writing Process and Insights

This Chapter features an interview with Neil Gaiman, a best-selling author. Gaiman discusses his writing process, including his unique approach to drafting and editing, and his preference for fountain pens and specific notebooks. He emphasizes the importance of rules and external environments to aid writing, highlighting his personal rule of allowing only writing or doing nothing while in his writing space. Gaiman also shares his experience with Ian Fleming's writing process and how he adapted it for his own work.

00:29:58

Sponsor Announcement: LinkedIn Jobs

This Chapter is a sponsor announcement for LinkedIn Jobs, highlighting its features and benefits for small businesses looking to hire qualified professionals.

00:31:17

Debbie Millman: Design, Rejection, and Finding Your Niche

This Chapter features an interview with Debbie Millman, a renowned designer and podcaster. Millman shares her journey into design, highlighting her initial rejection from a student newspaper and her subsequent path to becoming a successful designer. She discusses the importance of perseverance and the need to understand the perspective of those who reject you. Millman also shares her personal experiences with abuse and how she has used those experiences to help others through her work with the Joyful Heart Foundation.

01:38:19

Debbie Millman: The Power of Saying Yes

This Chapter continues the interview with Debbie Millman, focusing on her experiences with rejection and how they shaped her career. She discusses how a chance encounter on a flight led to her writing for Print Magazine and eventually becoming its editorial and creative director. Millman also shares her experience with the Speak Up blog, where she was initially vilified for her work, but ultimately found a community of designers and writers who shared her passion for design and criticism.

01:46:53

Milton Glazer and the Importance of Dreaming Big

This Chapter delves into Debbie Millman's relationship with Milton Glazer, a renowned graphic designer, and how his summer intensive class in 2005 had a profound impact on her life. She shares an exercise that Glazer used to teach his students, where they had to envision the life they could have if they pursued everything they wanted with the certainty that they would succeed. Millman now uses this exercise with her own students, encouraging them to dream big and not to edit their dreams.

01:57:20

Debbie Millman: Making Hard Decisions and the Importance of Courage

This Chapter focuses on Debbie Millman's decision to leave her full-time job at a branding consultancy and the importance of making hard decisions, even when they are terrifying. Millman emphasizes that agonizing over a decision is often harder than the outcome itself, and that it's okay to quit if a decision doesn't feel right. She also highlights the importance of courage over confidence, emphasizing that taking the first step is more important than waiting for a sense of security or confidence.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is Neil Gaiman's unique approach to drafting and editing?

  Gaiman emphasizes the importance of rules and external environments to aid writing. He has a personal rule of allowing only writing or doing nothing while in his writing space. He also prefers to write his first draft in fountain pen and then types it into a computer for editing, treating the second draft as an opportunity to make it appear as if he knew what he was doing all along.

• What are some of the key takeaways from Neil Gaiman's discussion on writing?

  Gaiman highlights the importance of embracing the unexpected in the creative process, finding a routine that works best for you, and treating each word as valuable. He also emphasizes the importance of external environments and rules to aid writing, and the need to make the second draft appear as if you knew what you were doing all along.

• How did Debbie Millman's initial rejection from a student newspaper shape her career path?

  Millman's initial rejection from the student newspaper led her to explore other avenues, eventually leading her to discover her passion for design. She emphasizes the importance of perseverance and the need to understand the perspective of those who reject you.

• What is the significance of Debbie Millman's experience with the Speak Up blog?

  Millman's experience with the Speak Up blog, where she was initially vilified for her work, ultimately became a catalyst for her career growth. It led her to connect with a community of designers and writers who shared her passion for design and criticism, and ultimately helped her find her voice and build a platform for her work.

• What are some of the key takeaways from Debbie Millman's discussion on rejection and finding your niche?

  Millman emphasizes the importance of perseverance, understanding the perspective of those who reject you, and not giving up on your dreams. She also highlights the importance of finding a community that supports your work and values your perspective.

• How has Debbie Millman used her personal experiences with abuse to help others?

  Millman has used her experiences with abuse to advocate for survivors and work to eradicate domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. She is actively involved with the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing support services to survivors, advocating for policy changes, and working to prevent future violence.

• What are some of the resources mentioned in the episode for those experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or child abuse?

  The episode mentions the Joyful Heart Foundation (thejoyfulheartfoundation.org) and nomore.org as resources for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. These organizations provide support services, advocacy, and resources to help victims.

• What is the exercise that Milton Glazer taught his students, and how does Debbie Millman use it with her own students?

  Glazer had his students envision the life they could have if they pursued everything they wanted with the certainty that they would succeed. Millman now uses this exercise with her own students, encouraging them to dream big and not to edit their dreams. She asks them to create a 10-year plan for a remarkable life, imagining what their life could be if they could do anything they wanted without any fear of failure.

• What is Debbie Millman's advice on making hard decisions?

  Millman emphasizes that agonizing over a decision is often harder than the outcome itself, and that it's okay to quit if a decision doesn't feel right. She also highlights the importance of courage over confidence, emphasizing that taking the first step is more important than waiting for a sense of security or confidence.

• What is Debbie Millman's parting piece of advice for listeners?

  Millman encourages listeners to take the first step in a moment of courage, even if they don't feel confident. She also emphasizes that most people live in a world of scarcity and that giving something up doesn't necessarily mean having less. She believes that by giving ourselves openings to receive new possibilities, we can actually have more than we thought possible.

Show Notes