Become a Better Designer - 7 Traits to Adopt Today

Question the obvious

Don’t take things at face value. Instead, look for things that others might have missed. Continuously pause and ask yourself, “What if we’re wrong?”

The best designers are skeptics—they see past the obvious and dig deeper into the problem.

Stay curious

Become obsessed with the world, people, and ideas. Pick a random topic each day or week and go down a rabbit hole of reading, exploring, questioning, and learning.

Think freely

Let your mind wander. Seriously. Spend a few minutes each day daydreaming without a goal. Great ideas don’t always show up during deep work—they often pop up during free thinking.

Learn how to spot patterns

Design isn’t magic—it’s patterns. Learn to connect the dots between what you see, use, and experience. Spotting rhythms in everyday life makes you better at solving design problems.

Embrace the complex

Don’t fear complexity. There’s beauty in the details, so don’t dumb things down. You will have to simplify for others as you design, but to be able to do that well, you first need to revel in the complexity of the items in front of you.

Make room for moments to think

Be comfortable with physical and mental solitude. Introspective moments require moments of peace. Block 15 minutes each day to be alone with your thoughts. No phone. No noise. Just space to reflect, process, and think deeply.

Consider alternatives

Look for layers in what others find straightforward. Next time you have to form a quick opinion on something, force yourself to consider alternatives instead of jumping to the clear-cut answers. Better design happens when we explore multiple perspectives, not just the first one.

Take it a step further

Invest in trusted learning resources. The biggest growth comes from sharpening your thinking, learning the fundamentals, and applying that knowledge to real work. And that’s exactly why we created the Supercharge Design all-access membership: to give designers like you everything you need to build those skills with intention.

The all-access membership includes a collection of premium UI/UX video courses focused on various aspects of UI/UX design. These courses are designed to provide a well-rounded education in UI design principles and techniques.

With Supercharge Design All-Access membership, you'll get access to 60+ hours of video content and 70+ resources and files. Make this your trusted all-in-one UI/UX learning platform and become a high-earning designer in the most efficient way possible.

Final words

Great design starts in the mind. Become a better designer by adopting these seven traits. Build them into habits, and your creativity, problem-solving, and career will naturally grow. Don’t wait for inspiration—build the mindset that brings it.