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If I were to boil down everything I’ve learned over the past 10 years into a single sentence, it would be this.

It applies to multiple areas of my life:

In product design

I’ve learned that my primary role as a designer is to understand who’s using my product and what they’re trying to accomplish. To interact with them. To try and develop deep empathy for them. And then to advocate for them.

In my life

Simply put, the less I focus on my own needs and the more I focus on others, the happier I am.

At work

It’s taken a while to come to this realization, but I don’t care about titles and power. I don’t care about accumulating money. I don’t care about fame. None of these things bring me real happiness.

The things that do excite me and bring me happiness tend to revolve around: connecting with others 1:1, helping others, building tools that help improve other people lives, and striving to remain positive & optimistic (in a world that feels increasingly negative).

It’s not about me

Happiness comes as I turn my attention away from myself, and focus on others.