Newsletter issue: #154
Read time: 1m 57s

One day you’re in meetings pretending to pay attention. The next you’re staring at your laptop wondering if potato chips count as lunch.

I know because I’ve been there.

In 2020, I walked away from my cushy Head of Design job earning a sweet sweet $100k+.

Not because I’m a hooligan… But because I was burnt out of corporate BS.

The first 2 weeks after leaving were pure chaos.

My brain went something like:

Me: I should apply for jobs!
​Also me: I should start a company!
​Brain: Maybe I should start a YouTube channel?
​Inner voice: Have you tried just staring at the ceiling?

If you’re in this position right now, I want you to know:

But it doesn’t have to define your entire career.

In fact, getting laid off could be your ticket to something better.

Design recruiters just sent me a report that 54% of designers who got laid off ended up in higher-paying roles within 6 months… and 37% of those statistics I just totally made up.

But that made you feel better right?

But seriously, there’s 5 things you can do RIGHT NOW to make yourself feel better:

1. Give yourself permission to be a mess. At least for a few days. Order takeout. Watch Netflix. Binge Severance. Journal your feelings or just scream into a pillow.
2. ​Ask yourself the real questions. Not “What job should I apply for?” but “What part of my last job actually made me excited to wake up?” and “If money wasn’t an issue, what would I create?”
3. Upgrade your portfolio. But don’t just add new projects. Delete half of what’s there. Go for quality. Don’t use the same old formula. Take risks.
4. Text 5 people you respect. Not with “I need a job” but with “I’ve been laid off and I’m exploring new opportunities in [specific area]. Would love your thoughts when you have a moment.”
5. Start something small. Side project, freelance gig, daily LinkedIn posts. Momentum builds confidence faster than waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Think of getting laid off as a forced reset button. And sometimes we need that kick in the ass to create something better.

When I quit, I had NO IDEA I’d end up here:

• 14,000,000+ views on my LinkedIn content
• 300,000+ read THIS newsletters
• 89,000+ people enjoy my work
• 16,000+ thought my UX resources were helpful
• 400+ videos published on YouTube​
• Turned my writing into a business

All because I got forced to rethink my path.

So yes, getting laid off feels like the end.

But what if... what if it’s actually just the beginning?

Not feeling better after my pep talk? I wrote this 5-step action plan that could help.

Get 5-step action plan

🔥 NEW

The goings ons

Happenings & shenanigans in the (design) world and beyond

​Jony Ive and Sam Altman are teaming up. OpenAI acquired “io” for $6.5 billion. Are we going to see products more revolutionary than the iPod or iPhone? Hope so.

​Framer Spring Event just happened. The most exciting feature? Workshop, using AI to generate your own components. Bye bye plugin devs.

A fascinating and thoughtful debate on the implications of AI and what it means for humanity (it’s the conversations I imagining having if I had more friends).

Next week, I'm kicking off a few months of travel ✈️ (finally). Starting with a some in London 🇬🇧 FAUX (Food and UX hangout), THiS Connect Conference, and Golden Hour Rooftop Party. I'm trying to do more in-person stuff this year (so I'm not such a hermit).

See you there?

This is new addition to this newsletter.

Let me know if I should keep writing this (or nah)