click, click, click...

I've wanted to be a creative art director for close to 10 years. That was my goal, that's what I set everything on, and decided that if I could reach that, I would be the happiest panda ever.

I almost got it. I almost got a job as an art director, but I didn't have enough digital experience. Most of my career I've been print-based. I've never learned HTML, Java, or built a website (my portfolio is hosted on a general website). So, I wasn't upset about the job so much as I knew I just needed to learn more.

Funny how things start clicking into place.

That job I almost got, I had the interview about 2 months ago. Since then things have been happening.

- Our group at work got Adobe CS6 premium (flash, dreamweaver, and fireworks included)
- My company offered a beta testing for those who wanted to learn digital marketing. I signed up.

So now, besides taking the marketing courses offered through my company, I can also start using Lynda.com to further my education, now that I have access to the most updated Adobe products.

(And as I just finished typing that sentence, I just got a goodie bag filled with usb keys, a notebook and more information from the digital marketing course I'm taking.)

It just keeps coming!

Turns out, I'm really, really enjoying learning about digital marketing, social media, web content...all these things that I never considered learning about before. And I'm thrilled I get to keep learning.

Basically what I'm saying is that after a few weeks of this new content, I'm seriously considering adjusting my long term goals.

Here's the thing: I like creating; I like being part of a group to bounce ideas back and forth and come up with a solution. I like creating stuff alone, I just like creating, learning, looking for better solutions.

So far, I've been working in the very literal sense of creating something: flyers, catalogs, books, websites. But I'm learning that creativity isn't limited to design or print or anything like that. I think I'm more effective at being a creative person, rather than being a creator. And maybe that means I need to advance my skills.

I want to be a linchpin. I'd rather be a student and teacher of many skills than the master of one. I want to be like someone I learned a lot from and still inspires me to this day. I might be a good designer, but I can do bigger and better things.

And, I don't want to be at the bottom of the totem pole anymore.