Anne-ifesto Manifesto
For years I’ve used the mantra travel is not about where you go, but how you see the world as the guiding force for my travel blog, Prêt à Voyager. (It’s part of the logo!) While it sounds specific to travel, I see how it applies to all the work I do. But as I dig deeper into the work I put into the world, it was time to write my own manifesto, or in my case the Anne-ifesto. 😉
The Anne-ifesto Manifesto*
The journey is the destination.
Learn from the process. It's often more rewarding than the end result.The city is your classroom.
You don't have to go far to learn something new. Step away from the computer, unplug, talk to people, and maximize the inspiration around you.Celebrate diversity of experience.
Go beyond what we think we know and be open to learning from others.Show, don't tell.
Be a living example of what you want to put into the world. Use stories to communicate your message.It's about the people.
Meet them. Listen. Absorb. Learn. Celebrate. Repeat.Build relationships.
Make meaningful relationships. Build trust, not fluff. Make an effort during times when you don't need something.Never underestimate the "quiet ones".
Often it's not the loudest person in the room who has the best ideas. Look where others aren't looking, and LISTEN, really listen.Connect the dots.
Connect the unexpected. Make the links no one else saw coming.Question everything.
Questions are more important than answers. Don't assume the status quo is the best approach. Test out ideas rather than making assumptions.Inspiration is everywhere.
What unlikely place beyond our bubble can we look for inspiration?Never stop learning.
Curiosity keeps things interesting. Learn from people, podcasts, books, articles, movies, documentaries, more.Share what you learn.
Share your insights and perspective. Help others grow through sharing your experiences.Add your twist.
The world has become cookie cutter, you are not. Embrace your voice, combine your own interests, give it your spin. Be you.Be real.
Bring perspective through honesty. Break through the façade. Be real-world ready.Be passionate.
Passion is contagious. Don’t hide who you are.Let magic happen.
Collaborate and look for the special dynamic that you can't always explain, but that makes you go further than you ever dreamed.Working crazy hours is not a badge of honor.
Work smarter, not harder. The work week does not have to look like what society tells us.Priorities = important > urgent
Don't get distracted by societal pressures and frazzled requests. Turn back to this list when feeling lost or down't know what to do.Follow your inner gyroscope
Trust your gut. Trust your vision.Breathe.
Allow room to breathe, process, and percolate. Take time to care for your self in order to create the best work.Leave room for spontaniety.
Because not everything in life goes as planned. Leave room for opportunity too. We all need space and time.Be inclusive.
It's about inclusion, not integration. Make an effort to reach a world beyond the bubble we live in and include their voices as well. Everyone welcome.Do good for the world.
Consider the impact of what you put into the world.Strength is in simplification.
It takes a lot to chip away to the core. Complexity is not a sign of a job well done. Get to the heart of what you're really doing.Do the work.
It takes time and work to get where you want to be. It's not always easy, but that shows you're learning and growing. Go behind the scenes. Don't complain, do something about it.Be open.
Open to ideas. To opportunities. To different perspectives. Other industries. Other cultures. To change. To risks. To challenges. Allow it all to push you to grow.Take advantage of creative constraints.
Whether it’s limited budget, time, or resources, figure out how to get creative with what you have. Constraints often can lead to greater creativity.Permission to learn.
If you don't know something, learn it. You can figure anything out.Stay curious.
When you stop being curious, you may need to re-route your course. Satiate your hunger to learn whatever sparks your curiosity.Find your super powers.
It's the unique combination of what makes you you, and nobody else.
* Manifesto subject to change, updates, tweaks.
The Paris café chair that I sat on while writing this post seemed like an apt visual to communicate and the different ideas we weave together to form what we bring to the table. Thank you Ashley Ludaescher for the beautiful capture.
Special thanks to Jen Carrington who prompted the manifesto in her Writing for Dream Clients online course. I was inspired by the Bruce Mau’s Incomplete Manifesto for Growth, which was given to me as a parting gift by one of my supervisors upon completing my first internship. Believe me when I say, this list didn’t just magically happen. It involved feeling blocked, pushing through, putting it aside, and coming back to it. And repeating that cycle. It may still change, but I got it to this point. By publishing it here, I always have it as a reference when I need it.
In writing my manifesto, I also drew from the idea of design principles, a topic I uncovered while teaching UX design. Design principles are guiding principles to help inform your decisions. In a UX environment they are created as a team to avoid top down hierarchical decision making. You can find tips for creating your own design principles in IDEO.org’s Design Kit, and more examples on principles.design and designprinciplesFTW.com.
If you decide to write your own manifesto, it may be completely different than mine. It may not be a numbered list at all. It may only have three key ideas (not 30!). Everyone is different and that’s what makes this awesome. Figure out what works for you. Easier said than done, but doing the work will pay off later.
Have you uncovered any awesome manifestos? Have you written your own? Share it below!
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