I think we can all agree that making mistakes is something we naturally fear, whether they are big or small. Often, that fear comes from worrying about disappointing the people who matter to us, both personally and professionally. What if mistakes were not something to avoid at all costs? What if they were opportunities to learn, grow and improve?

Throughout my journey as a designer, I have come to realise that some of my biggest lessons have come from my mistakes. These mistakes as a designer have shaped not only my skills but also the way I approach challenges, feedback, and growth every day.

Navigating Mistakes as a Jnr Graphic Designer

At the beginning of my career, I had little to no experience in design. Most of what I knew came from studying marketing where I was introduced to advertising and branding concepts. When I started at Big Beard Web Solutions as part of the social media team, I was responsible for creating graphics, and that is where the mistakes started piling up. Alignment issues, spelling errors and inconsistent sizing were all things I had never really considered before.

Every time one of these mistakes was pointed out, I felt disappointed in myself. I would often think, “How did I possibly miss that?” Over time, those moments began to affect my confidence, causing me to second-guess every new design I created. At the time, I viewed feedback as a reflection of my abilities rather than an opportunity to improve. As a result, every correction felt personal, and every mistake seemed much bigger than it really was.

Learning to See What I Couldn’t Before

Eventually, there came a point where I stepped back and reflected on the negative thoughts I was having. I realised that every design returned with feedback was not a sign of failure but an opportunity to learn and improve. Instead of viewing feedback as something negative, I began to see it as a valuable part of the growth process. One of my core beliefs is that learning never truly stops, and design reinforced that mindset for me. Every piece of feedback became a lesson, and every mistake became an opportunity to develop my skills further.

Over time, I have grown immensely in a newfound passion centred around continuous learning and growth. Through this journey, I have developed stronger attention to detail, a better understanding of design principles and greater confidence in my work. Most importantly, I have learned that mistakes are not roadblocks; they are stepping stones that help shape us into better designers. This shift in perspective also helped me understand that good design is about more than just making something look appealing. It is about creating experiences that are intuitive, meaningful and effective for the people using them.

Lessons Learnt from My Mistakes as a Designer

While my technical skills improved over time, the biggest lessons I learned were not always related to design itself. Mistakes taught me patience when learning something new. They taught me humility by reminding me that there is always room for improvement. Most importantly, they taught me resilience. As designers, it is easy to become attached to our work. We invest time, effort and creativity into every project, so receiving feedback can sometimes feel personal.

However, I learned that feedback is not a reflection of my worth as a designer. Instead, it is a tool that helps me produce better work and continue growing. Today, I still make mistakes. The difference is that I no longer view them as failures. Instead, I see them as part of the process. Each mistake teaches me something new, strengthens my skills and pushes me closer to becoming the designer I aspire to be. For example, many of the design principles I struggled with in the beginning, such as alignment, spacing and hierarchy, have now become second nature through consistent practice and feedback.

The Designer Behind the Mistakes

As I continue my career, I know I will make more mistakes, but I no longer fear them. Instead, I welcome them as reminders that I am learning, challenging myself and moving forward. After all, the mistakes that once made me question my abilities are the very same mistakes that helped make me the designer I am today.