How bad could life as a designer be?

Most professions are demanding. But technology focused careers have a reputation of being incredibly so, particularly for designers and developers. 

Is that just how it is? Not if you can adapt.

“A fulfilling career is a spectrum, not a ladder” writes Natalia Marmolejo in her article titled The Spectrum

[..] “To the hungry designer, I must tell you, to be kind. To your uttermost self. To that relentless firecracker inside you. Take the time to decompress, slow down, and observe in silence. Retrospect with a loving, tender eye, creating space for the new, while assimilating your current view. Let your judgement stay at bay, and sigh to all you did or didn’t do today. Tomorrow will be a better day” […] 

How about navigating that spectrum? What could aid in that process? 
Iskra Uscumlic has some advice “get into a habit of embracing sucking at things when you start something new” from her article PSA- Dear design graduate, all will be ok

[…] “We all learn as we go. Don’t be afraid to give yourself time to learn and expand on the skillset you already have. Focusing on one area will allow you to see what you actually are interested in and what…kind of…sucks for you. And whatever your “ultimate goal” is, you will work your way up to it. We all did and do” […]

Expand your skillset. Find what you are interested in. So, what do companies want that I might be interested in?

Judy Wert, the head of design recruiting agency Wert & Co., says “These jobs require “cross-functional thinkers,” in article by Yasmin Gagne titled What companies really want in a designer, according to a top recruiter for Google, Dropbox, and

[…] “candidates who have analytical capabilities combined with emotional intelligence and the ability to think of their work as it relates to serving customers … companies are looking for people who have an awareness of the consequences of design” […]

Diversify your skillset, be passionate, and explore the reasoning behind the decisions that have been in the products you use and design

ux, information design, design, designer, Yasmin Gagne, Natalia Marmolejo, Iskra Uscumlic, design career, student, college