Hey everyone, and welcome back to another Monday Break(Through).
Let me ask you something.
Have you ever met someone who’s brilliant at what they do, but also fun to be around?
Someone who can crush a pitch, lead a team, build a brand from scratch – and still show up at a party in a hoodie, dancing like no one’s watching?
I want to talk about that kind of person today.
That mindset.
That life.
Because that’s the kind of person I want to be.
And it all clicked for me when I heard Alex Center say this one sentence:
“Take the work seriously, not yourself.”
I loved it instantly.
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized – this is the secret sauce to not just being great at what you do but actually enjoying your damn life while doing it.
So let’s go deep into that.
Let’s talk about working hard – but also playing hard.
Let’s talk about excellence – and about joy.
Let’s talk about the balance between obsession and surrender.
I’ll start with this: I believe in hard work.
The focused kind. The nose-down, lights-on kind of work.
When I’m in work mode, I want to be the sharpest, most prepared, most creative person in the room.
I don’t believe in cutting corners.
I believe in sweating over the details.
I believe in research, in care, in commitment.
I believe in showing up with full energy – especially when no one’s watching.
Because taking the work seriously means you respect the craft.
You respect the people you’re serving.
You respect yourself enough to not phone it in.
When I’m working on a font, or building something for a client, I treat it like a legacy piece.
Something that will outlive me.
Even if it’s “just another project” – I want it to be the best version of that project.
But here’s the thing.
If you’re going to work like that –
Then you also have to learn how to rest like that.
To live like that.
To party like that.
I’m not talking about binge-drinking or escaping.
I’m talking about really being where you are.
If I’m with my friends, I’m with them.
Phone down. Heart open. Jokes flying.
If I’m on a weekend away, I’m not checking emails – I’m checking in with myself.
Because taking yourself too seriously? That’s a trap.
It makes you stiff. Bitter. Insecure.
You start believing the work only matters if people praise it.
You start thinking you only matter if you’re producing.
That’s no way to live.
You have to remember – you’re not a robot.
You’re a designer, yes. But you’re also a human.
You need sunlight. Laughter. Dumb memes. A spontaneous night out.
I used to think professionalism meant being overly serious.
Don’t joke too much. Don’t overshare. Don’t look silly.
But the best professionals I’ve worked with?
They’re unapologetically themselves.
That’s the beauty.
It’s not either-or.
It’s not be a genius or be a goof.
It’s be both.
Be serious when it’s time to show up.
Be light when it’s time to breathe.
Let your personality breathe in your work – and your work breathe in your life.
I confused taking myself seriously with being good.
I thought I had to prove myself every second of the day.
And guess what? I burned out.
I became rigid.
Critical.
Afraid to experiment.
Afraid to look like I didn’t know something.
And honestly – less fun to be around.
When you take yourself too seriously, you become precious about everything.
You can’t take feedback. You can’t laugh at mistakes.
You lose the play.
Creativity without play? That’s just labor.
That’s what kills the spark.
So, when I heard Alex say that line – “take the work seriously, not yourself” –
it made me think of people like him who’ve worked at iconic companies, and still managed to build a personal brand that’s human, open, vibrant.
That’s what a real creative leader looks like.
They’re not trying to impress you with titles.
They’re trying to connect. To build. To make good things with good people.
That’s how I want to show up:
• I want to bring excellence to the table.
• I want to leave ego at the door.
• I want to be ambitious – and approachable.
• Skilled – and still silly.
So here’s the deal: You need both modes.
Your beast mode – and your clown mode.
The part of you that sharpens skills, hits deadlines, goes deep into the work.
And the part of you that watches cat videos at 1 a.m., dances like a maniac, eats cake for breakfast on your birthday.
Both sides matter.
You’re not a brand. You’re a person.
Let your work be legendary – and your life be light.
So let’s live this line.
Take the work seriously. Not yourself.
Work your ass off.
Be excellent.
Be reliable.
Be proud of what you do.
And then –
Put the laptop down.
Text a friend.
Laugh at something dumb.
Let life in.
That’s the balance that keeps us sane.
That’s the rhythm that keeps the spark alive.
That’s how you create for decades – not just for deadlines.
Thank you guys for being here and talk to you soon.