1. You need to work harder than anyone else, it will always benefit you in the long run.
2. Volunteer – you have to get away from your computer and build connections, learn from others, and experience life.
3. Be Original, stand up for what you believe, hold true to your beliefs.
4. Be authentic. The most important asset you bring to design is your individuality, perspective, and experience.
5. Learn. Constantly look for opportunities to advance your craft, learn from others, and grow your abilities.
6. Observe. As you travel through life look at other solutions to other problems. You will be inspired and humbled when you see good design and blown away when you see bad design. This will be your motivation for every future assignment.
7. Trust your instinct.
8. Keep an open mind, sometimes the idea presented by others is the best solution.
9. Think holistic with your solutions. Sometimes the idea you are focused on will work better only if you make three other changes first.
10. If all else fails, go back to No. 1, working harder than everyone else.