Low Fidelity: Unleash yourself!: Recent Episodes

Rizwan Javaid

Our inner challenges such as impostor syndrome, self-doubt, fear, and the inner-critic can hold us back from our goals. I’m on a mission to help creatives overcome their inner obstacles by helping them develop a strong and resilient mindset so they can reach their true creative potential.

Please join me as I have conversations with guests to learn how they overcame their challenges and the frameworks and strategies they use so we can become resilient as we reach for our goals.

Email topics or questions to rizwan@rizwanjavaid.com

Podcast Feedback: https://forms.gle/V2NLEm1itJH5xXso9

Show Notes

In this episode, I speak with Ida Persson, a Communications Design Lead at IDEO, on the topic of the biases in design education and what we as designers can do about it.

A few highlights from our conversation

Learn about Ida's journey of becoming aware of the biases she learned in her design education.
Learn about the challenges unlearning our biases brings and how to take small steps forward
Learn how to expand your sources of design knowledge and information to include voices from around the world and break out of the biased design bubble
Learn why it's important for designers to question everything, especially the beliefs we carry, to help us break free from the biases that can harm us.

Quotes from the episode

“The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house.” - Audre Lorde.

“Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew or dreamed that one possessed. Yet, it is only when a man is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream he has long possessed that he is set free — he has set himself free — for higher dreams, for greater privileges.” - James Baldwin.

Mentioned in this episode

Rest is Resistance - by Tricia Hersey

Airbnb Design - Another Lens - A research tool for conscientious creatives

The Dance Floor and the Balcony

Futuress.org - Where feminism, design, and politics meet

About Ida Persson

Ida is a designer, storyteller and creative professional passionate about designing solutions and environments that center on inclusion, equity, and human-centered design principles.

Born in Sweden, based in Munich, and with a decade of experience designing in the U.S., she finds inspiration in exploring different cultures and perspectives. She believes that it is our differences that make us stronger as a collective.

In her current role as a Communication Design Lead at IDEO — a global design company — her work focuses on crafting compelling stories and designing innovative solutions.

Connect with Ida Persson

Medium

Website

About Low Fidelity

Low Fidelity is a creative platform to help designers thrive in life, make a positive impact in the world, and realize their full creative potential. The Low Fidelity platform includes a weekly newsletter, a podcast, and a YouTube channel.

Recording Note: A lot has happened since our conversation was recorded a few months ago, so some observations may not be accurate today.

---

In this episode, I speak with career strategist and coach for UX professionals Amy Santee.

Amy is a champion for UX professionals who want to design their careers with intention and bring their good to the world through a practice of self-research, self-respect, self-advocacy, and strategy.

With all the uncertainty and recent tech layoffs, it is good to know that we have amazing people like Amy on our side to guide and support us through change.

Amy’s coaching philosophy is to help her clients navigate change by being strategic, mindful, and intentional.

Top insights from our conversation:On Career Change

Be intentional and strategic with your job search.
Before searching for a job, figure out your why, your values, and how you want to work and live.
Identify the limiting beliefs and behavior patterns that are not serving you well.

On Career Coaching

A career coach can provide an outside perspective and validate or challenge your thoughts.
A career coach can help you do your job search more effectively and strategically to help you stand out from the crowd.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques can be used in coaching to help overcome the inner struggles we face so we can reach our potential.
If you want to work with a coach, identify what you need help with and research coaches by reading their blog posts and newsletters and talking with them to see if they are the right partner to guide you in your career.

On Self-Discovery For Your Career

Collect data about yourself, such as your thoughts, behaviors, actions, and emotions, to understand yourself better so you can find a work environment that fits your values and supports you.
Check the stories you tell yourself. Validate them instead of blindly believing them.
Check your assumptions about external events such as the tech layoffs and make sure you're resume, portfolio, and presentations are all buttoned up and ready to go.

On Networking

Always be open to new opportunities.
On LinkedIn, turn on the feature that privately lets recruiters know that you are open to new opportunities
Network, network, network.
Start networking now, not when you need it.
Find people at companies you are interested in and make mutually beneficial connections.
Start interacting within the UX community to share your comments and thoughts.
Networking isn't only for new people you meet; you can reach out to people you have worked with in past jobs as well.

Listener challenge:

Amy shared a great personal development challenge to help you identify areas of opportunity and how begin working towards them one intentional step at a time. Make sure to listen till the end!

Connect with Amy

Website - http://www.amysantee.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amysantee/

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with transformational coach Kim Witten. Kim shares her interesting career path in which she worked as a graphic designer, a marketing professional, a linguist, a data analyst, and a web developer, then moved into UX research and design, all with the common thread of learning more about people and their behaviors.

As a transformational coach, Kim helps her clients discover their why and helps them achieve their full potential. We talk about the benefits of working with a coach and how a coach can help us overcome a lifetime of limiting beliefs.

Kim shares her coaching philosophy and her unique approach to helping her clients reach their potential.

Learn about the difference between overthinkers and deep thinkers.
Kim helps us see both from a new helpful perspective
Getting unstuck can happen in a single moment and the whole world opens up to us as we get unblocked.
Kim shares the behaviors and thought patterns that get in our way and can trip us up such as future tripping and overthinking and strategies to prevent the negative effects that can happen.
Learn about rumination and how it is different from overthinking
Naming the part of ourselves that becomes anxious and overthinks is a good way to identify it and deal with it when it shows up.

Listener challenge:

Kim shares a self-discovery challenge to learn about your wants and how to identify the ones that matter the most. It's a tough but rewarding challenge. You don't want to miss it!

Mentions

Simplfying Coaching by Claire Pedrick

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski

Connect with Kim

Website - https://witten.kim/lowfidelity

Email - coaching@witten.kim

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with transformational coach Kim Witten. Kim shares her interesting career path in which she worked as a graphic designer, a marketing professional, a linguist, a data analyst, and a web developer, then moved into UX research and design, all with the common thread of learning more about people and their behaviors.

As a transformational coach, Kim helps her clients discover their why and helps them achieve their full potential. We talk about the benefits of working with a coach and how a coach can help us overcome a lifetime of limiting beliefs.

Kim shares her coaching philosophy and her unique approach to helping her clients reach their potential.

Learn about the difference between overthinkers and deep thinkers.

Kim helps us see both from a new helpful perspective

Getting unstuck can happen in a single moment and the whole world opens up to us as we get unblocked.

Kim shares the behaviors and thought patterns that get in our way and can trip us up such as future tripping and overthinking and strategies to prevent the negative effects that can happen.

Learn about rumination and how it is different from overthinking

Naming the part of ourselves that becomes anxious and overthinks is a good way to identify it and deal with it when it shows up.

Listener challenge:

Kim shares a self-discovery challenge to learn about your wants and how to identify the ones that matter the most. It's a tough but rewarding challenge. You don't want to miss it!

Mentions

Simplfying Coaching by Claire Pedrick

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski

Connect with Kim

Website - https://witten.kim/lowfidelity

Email - coaching@witten.kim

About Kim Witten

Kim has spent over four decades overthinking absolutely everything and has become an expert in analyzing behavior and communication.

With 20+ years of human-centered design experience, a PhD in Sociolinguistics and an accredited diploma in Transformational Coaching, she helps overwhelmed creatives become Strategic Expert Thinkers™ in all that they do.

From career changers to change-makers, she’s supported people from all over the globe to master their mindset, build their resilience and feel more confident, so that they can create the life they really want and reach their high-impact potential.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lowfidelity.io

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Hilary Cluett, creator of the UX Vocab Club, a network of professionals, and a certified face reader, to help you improve your communication skills to power your career.

Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

Hilary shared how to use the Bubble Method to help you quickly explore ideas. This is an excellent tool for designers, writers, and content creators to power their communication skills.
Hilary shared the fun stories of how she overcame her camera shyness and spoke in front of groups by getting out of her comfort zone.
We both are fans of improv because it forces us to be present and in the moment with all our senses, especially our listening skills.
Learn the science of face reading and how it can benefit you and help you communicate your message to give it the best chance of success.
Hilary is a Level 5 Certified face reader, and she shares the exciting techniques involved in how exactly a face is read.
I had my face read by Hilary; amazingly, she was very close in her understanding; you don't want to miss that part.
Learn what your eyebrows, eyelids, and nose say about yourself.
Plus, I do a live Bubble Method exercise with Hilary to help you see how to do this exercise on your own, and wow was it eye-opening.

Connect with Hilary Cluett

TwitterLinkedInUX Vocab Club

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lowfidelity.io

Hello, creatives!

In this week’s episode, Jonathan Bowman, a Design Leader at Machinify and co-founder of the Board of Design, provides his insights on the critical topic of design feedback. He helps demystify feedback and helps us view feedback as a powerful tool for collaboration and our own growth so we can become more impactful at work.

Highlights from our conversation

Should designers know how to code? Designers should learn to talk to developers and learn about the basic frameworks and structures to have better conversations.
Jonathan shares what he loves about design.
We dove into the topic of feedback to learn how to approach it with a productive perspective.
Jonathan helps us see feedback in a new light which can help us put our guard down and gain the benefits of this powerful tool.
Learn how to get good feedback, curate it, and synthesize it to make the most of it.
Jonathan shares concrete ways to set yourself up for success when seeking feedback.
Hear how to manage different types of feedback that will empower you to lead a feedback session.
Learn how to lead with curiosity instead of emotions to get the feedback you need.
Learn how to prevent emotions from creeping in when seeking feedback.
We also explored how best to give feedback to others.
Learn what matters when you provide your own feedback and how to make it actionable.
Designers can't be lazy when it comes to feedback, both when seeking and delivering feedback. It is a lot of work to prepare. So be a prepared designer, not a lazy one!
Learn how to take steps toward becoming better at getting feedback.
Learn how to set yourself up for success when seeking feedback within a design tool like Figma.
Learn about Jonathan's new initiative to bring licensure to the design and research field. This idea works well in many other fields; is it time to bring it into UX?

Learn more about Jonathan

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/@uxdjb

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-o-bowman/

The American Board of Design https://twitter.com/board_of_design

Full Show Notes + Transcript

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lowfidelity.io

Sana is a personal brand experience consultant who helps her clients stand out from the crowd and helps them monetize their unique edge.

In our conversation, Sana shared her transition from consultant to creator. We explored how to show up as our authentic selves and how you can begin to develop your own personal philosophy, something that is crucial if you're building your brand.

Highlights from our conversation:

Learn about Sana's transition from a consultant to a creator. There are a lot of insights we can take from her story to apply in our own lives.
Understand why creative freedom is something we need to plan for and not take for granted.
Why giving ourselves permission to achieve our goals is crucial for our creative freedom
It's not about achieving but about doing the work to uncover what is within us, it's about us becoming.
Learn what emotional reasoning is and how it can be a dangerous behavior.
What is authenticity and how can we show up as our authentic selves?
Learn having a personal philosophy is at the core of developing who you are.
Want to begin developing your personal philosophy? Start by asking yourself why you believe what you believe.

Quotes

On pushing forward

Many people feel the same way about how they experienced more success in their business from this ability to just not BS and to not fret and to not worry about things that don’t make sense and to do the hard work and lean and make the hard decisions that they need to so that they can learn and so that they can move forward.

On Authenticity

Authenticity is the feeling of congruence from your internal way of being and the way that you externally express that internal way of being.

On Self-awareness

Getting in touch with the core of who you are and reflecting on that, doing the hard work to really think about what that is for you, and then taking the steps that you need to express what that is.

And it can be very, And it can eventually be very big. Or you can start very big, cause a lot of ruckus, break a lot of ties, burn some bridges, and then go off doing your own thing and start over. But I think it’s either way that you do it; you have to understand that it’s gonna take some work to get to the point where you feel like I can totally be who it is that I wanna be.

Resources mentioned

Million Dollar Consulting by Alan Weiss

Connect with Sana Ahmed and learn more about her work

LinkedIn: Sana A. Ahmed
Twitter: @sanathemonster
Instagram: @sanathemonster
Website: sanaaahmed.com

Unleash Your Mindset! by Low Fidelity is a podcast with the mission to help creatives develop a resilient mindset and realize their creative potential.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lowfidelity.io

In this episode, I have an insightful conversation with Kevin Packer, an entrepreneur, product leader, life coach, and writer. We talk about identifying the values that are important for you, which will help you build a solid foundation for achieving your potential. Kevin also shares a few powerful frameworks he uses to help him show up, lean in, and work towards his goals. Kevin also has a great listener challenge to help you start living your life joyfully and authentically.

In this episode, I talk with Paul Richmond, the teacher, and coach you wish you had in high school. Paul is a high school teacher, coach, author, and podcast host. We talk about the Mindset Identifier, a chart Paul has created to help us show up with the right mindset. We all go through bad days but can decide to change our mindset to make sure we show up as C.H.A.M.P.I.O.Ns. Paul walks us through the chart and explains each mindset from Whiner, Toxic, Dreamer, and Champion. The chart is handy to have because it helps us check our mindset as well as for the people around us to see who we are being influenced by. There are a lot of mindset nuggets in this episode, so you don't want to miss it. :)

In this episode, I have a conversation with life coach Mike Lamb about inspiring you to be the best version of yourself & live life intentionally. He shares the challenges in his life journey and how he took charge and started living more intentionally by connecting with his values and purpose in life. We talk about the importance of having a morning routine, having a coach who speaks the truth to you, how we can overcome our limiting beliefs, and the importance of being grateful. Mike also shared his Twitter project #15daysofgratitude, which is a great way to change our approach to life and live a more grateful and intentional life.

In this episode, I talk with the artist, guide, hypnotherapist, and coach Francesca Elisia about how we can understand the inner struggles we face. Francesca also shares the tools she uses with her coaching clients for self-discovery. We also talk about mindsets, impostor syndrome, the benefits of working with a coach, and how the practice of hypnotherapy can help us connect with our essence.

In this episode, I look a the trap of comparison and the inner struggles that come with it. We all compare ourselves to other people at one point or another. Whether it's their status, wealth, family, education, beauty, or the other million things, we regularly fall into the comparison trap. But we have a choice. We can stop comparing ourselves to others to raise their status and lower our own. We have the power to stop this destructive behavior. We must stop comparing ourselves to others.

Hey friends, it has been a while since the last episode of my podcast. Perfectionism got a hold of me and got me off track, but I am back after a long break. Sometimes a break is just what we need to reignite the passion we started with. It is an opportunity to reconnect with our "why." Thanks for sticking around as I come back once again to help you cultivate your inner game so you can achieve your full creative potential.

In this episode, I have a conversation with Chris Tomasso, a gamification consultant, and podcast host. We talk about creativity, personal development, self-awareness, and the path to awakening. This was one of those conversations where we could have kept talking because as you will hear we are both passionate about the topic of awakening.

A few highlights from our conversation:

Use data cautiously. Use multiple data points to begin to identify trends in what you create to see how audiences are connecting with your message.
We talked about the qualities of good and bad gamification and how gamification is now part of the fabric of our reality.
Learn how self-awareness can bring more freedom and joy into our lives.
There are no boundaries in our life and work so unblocking ourselves in one area in our lives will help all parts equally.
Learn why the parts we hide about ourselves are the parts that are essential to who we are.
If you're stuck then moving your body, whether it is through dance, running, or biking can help release the negative energy stuck within you.

Enjoy!

Episode show notes and transcript

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with Patricia Leveque, a writer, educator, and procrastination coach. I first met Patricia in the Ship 30-for-30 program, a writing program to help you build a consistent writing habit. Her wonderful essays about creativity and joy in ordinary moments helped me be more grateful and appreciate the time I spend with my family. She also helped me understand how to be more focused and procrastinate less with her SPARK To Action framework which she explained in detail.

A few highlights from our conversation:

Change takes time and an important part of change is accomodating your needs by becoming more self-aware
We need to be mindful and make the choices that actually move us forward toward our goals
Reduce your to-do list to help you reduce your mental clutter to gain clarity
The Spark To Action Framework can help to make sure you are working on the tasks that align with your values and goals
Focus on growth over perfection

You can find Patricia on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/patricialeveq

Episode transcript

In this episode, I have a fun conversation with Samanta Aquino, a product designer, creator, and mentor based in Stockholm.

Samanta is a Latina product designer who is passionate about web accessibility and helping designers overcome their career struggles.

Episode Webpage

Episode Transcript

A few highlights from our conversation:

If you feel stuck then take action towards what inspires you. Instead of overthinking, take action, learn and adjust along the way.
Learn how Samanta stood up to her impostor syndrome by taking charge taking action.
Why it helps to come clean about our negative thoughts with someone we trust and how they can put things in perspective for us and help get those negative thoughts out of our head.
How Samanta uses affirmations to help her quiet the inner voice and change the dialogue.
How mentoring can help you practice the skills needed to reach the next level.
Why changing jobs will not always solve the problems we face within and around us. We have to take charge and action where we are.
Why setting boundaries is crucial for a designer's mental health and well-being and learn strategies you can use to begin taking your power back at work so you don't become a victim of unrealistic expectations and prevent burnout.
Why you should take time off before you burn out and have no choice to take it.

Learn more about Samanta Aquino:

Website - https://samanta.me/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/samanta.ux/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Lwwhya1BQQPtBqNcfmERQ
Mentoring - superpeer.com/samanta
Free Mentoring (Limited) ADP List https://adplist.org/mentors/samantaaquino
I Am (App store) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/i-am-daily-affirmations/id874656917

Have feedback? Great! Please take a moment to fill out the podcast listener feedback survey

In this episode, I have a wonderful conversation with William Willis (@william3willis) - The Prolific Creator.

William is the co-founder of the brand new Co-Create Community where creators can encourage and inspire each other to unlock their full potential.

Read full episode transcript

Episode Webpage

A few highlights from our conversation:

Is our niche discovered or should we know exactly what we need to be known for before we start our creative work
How creating can help us find meaning
Why you should give yourself the freedom and room to create without putting pressure on yourself
The challenges we face in our creative work
Why sharing and getting feedback are critical parts of our creative work
Developing our creativity and craft takes time

Learn more about William Willis:

Twitter: @william3willis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bwillis/
Co-Create Community: http://cocreatecommunity.co

Have feedback? Great! Please take a moment to fill out the podcast listener feedback survey

In this episode, I have a conversation with Candice Yee, a product designer in Toronto. Candice has traveled to Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur to work as a UX designer to learn how design is done abroad. She took action to make opportunities for her instead of waiting around. She started a meetup group in Kuala Lumpur to meet other UX people which helped her grow as a designer and build her network. In today's episode, Candice has a challenge for us all, what could it be? I won't spoil it for you, you have to listen. :)

Enjoy!

Have feedback? Great! Please take a moment to fill out the podcast listener feedback survey

In this episode, I have a conversation with Shujaat Syed a designer based in Toronto. Shujaat noticed very few opportunities to help out the designers from underrepresented groups so he created a mentorship program to help them level up their skills so they can be successful in their careers. It’s a great story with lots of lessons for us all.

Have feedback? Great! Please take a moment to fill out the podcast listener feedback survey

Lately, there has been a familiar voice that has appeared back in my head. As I work to get the Low Fidelity podcast up and running, the voice constantly reminds me that the podcast should be perfect right from the start, or it's not worth putting out there. The cover, the interview, the guests, the sound, the speed at which I work, they all need to be perfect. This voice is very opinionated and is a constant reminder that what I am doing is not up to par with the expectations of a great podcast.

Maybe you have a similar voice in your head that pops up as soon as you are taking steps towards your goals? In this episode, I share a simple but effective way I overcome the nagging voice of perfection when it appears.

I recently wrote about the idea of progress over perfection on my website.

Need help overcoming your inner obstacles? Reach out and let's talk.

Have feedback? Great! Please take a moment to fill out the podcast listener feedback survey

In this episode, I have a conversation with Louis Salguero, a learning experience designer based in Melbourne. Louis gives us a peek into what a learning experience designer tackles on a daily basis and he shares solid advice on how to grow as a resilient designer.

Have feedback? Great! Please take a moment to fill out the podcast listener feedback survey

Low Fidelity with Rizwan Javaid is a podcast about doing our best work within the chaos of design. Come along as I explore ways to overcome the inner obstacles and the challenges we face in our work, become resilient, gain creative freedom, and reach our true creative potential. Subscribe to the Low Fidelity newsletter at http://lowfidelity.substack.com Find me at www.rizwanjavaid.com Twitter: @rizwanjavaid | Instagram: @rizwanjavaid

Have feedback? Great! Please take a moment to fill out the podcast listener feedback survey