The Times I Wanted to Quit: How I Pushed Through Self-Doubt as a Designer
"I can’t do this anymore!"
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve whispered those words to myself. In fact, I’d be a rich woman if someone had given me a pound for every time I’d said that to myself. There have been moments, more than I’d like to admit. where I’ve stared at my screen, questioning everything. Why isn’t my work getting noticed? Why does everyone else seem to have it figured out while I’m struggling? What if I’m just not good enough?
If you’ve ever felt like quitting, let me tell you this: you are not alone.
Self-doubt is something every designer faces, no matter how experienced. It sneaks in when sales are slow, when a pitch gets ignored, when you see another designer’s “perfect” portfolio and wonder if you’ll ever measure up. It’s exhausting, isn’t it?
But here’s the thing - you don’t have to let self-doubt win.
I’ve been in that space, feeling stuck, frustrated, and tempted to walk away. And yet, each time, I found a way to push through. I want to share what helped me because I know it can help you too.
The Self-Doubt Cycle (And How to Break Free)
Self-doubt usually follows a pattern:
You feel like you’re falling behind.
You compare yourself to others.
You start believing you’re not talented enough.
You lose motivation.
You stop creating.
It’s a vicious cycle, but the good news is—it can be broken. Here’s what I’ve learned about how to move past these feelings and keep going when you feel like quitting.
1. Recognising That Everyone Feels This Way (Even the Designers You Admire!)
One of the biggest lies self-doubt tells us is that we’re alone in our struggles. But behind every polished Instagram feed, every beautifully curated portfolio, there’s a designer who has faced rejection, creative ruts and moments of frustration.
Action step: Find an artist or designer you admire and research their journey. You’ll likely discover that they, too, faced obstacles and almost gave up at some point.
2. Reframing Your Inner Critic Into a Creative Coach
Instead of letting your inner voice tear you down ("This isn’t good enough" / "I’ll never make it" / "I’m wasting my time"), try shifting your self-talk. What would you say to a friend who was feeling like this?
I’ve certainly said all of these things to myself and I’m sure you have too at some point. This is normal. It’s all part of the journey, though it’s important that we keep going even when we don’t want to carry on or have huge doubts about our work.
Action step: Write down three negative thoughts you often have about your work and reframe them into encouraging ones.
3. Revisiting Why You Started in the First Place
When you’re deep in frustration, it’s easy to forget the why behind your work. What made you fall in love with pattern design? Was it the joy of playing with colour? The thrill of seeing your designs on products? The creative freedom it gives you?
Action step: Take a moment to reflect on why you started. Write it down and keep it somewhere visible where you can see it every day, on a sticky note, your phone wallpaper or inside your sketchbook.
4. Taking a Break Without Giving Up
There’s a difference between quitting and pausing to recharge. Sometimes, when self-doubt is overwhelming, the best thing you can do is step away for a little while, not forever, just long enough to clear your head.
Action step: Give yourself permission to take a break without guilt. This could be a walk, a day off or even a week-long creative reset where you design just for fun, with no pressure to share or sell your work.
5. Focusing on Progress, Not Perfection
Perfectionism is the enemy of progress. If you’re waiting for your designs to feel “good enough” before you share them, pitch them or upload them to a print-on-demand shop, you’ll be waiting forever.
My pattern below ‘Spring Berries’ took a while for me to complete and I could have easily worked on it for several days more. But there comes the point when you have to say ‘enough’ and be happy with your creations so you can move on. ‘Good enough’ is better than not done at all.
Action step: Pick one design that you’ve been overthinking and commit to finishing it this week, even if it’s not perfect.
6. Surrounding Yourself With the Right People
The people you follow, the communities you engage with, the voices you listen to, all of these shape your mindset. Surround yourself with designers and mentors who uplift and inspire you, rather than those who make you feel like you’re constantly behind. You deserve to feel uplifted and inspired, not drained.
Action step: Find and follow 3 designers who inspire you without triggering comparison. Unfollow or mute accounts that make you feel “less than.”
7. Taking Small Steps Instead of Huge Leaps
Sometimes we get stuck because we feel like we need to make a massive change to succeed. But success is built on small, consistent steps. Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish this year, this month, this week. Write it all down. Put this information into a monthly or weekly calendar or scheduler and tick those tasks off when you’ve complete them. Reward yourself for the small wins - they add up to big wins over time!
Action step: Instead of setting a huge goal like “I need to land a licensing deal”, set a micro-goal like “I will send one licensing pitch email this week.”
8. Remembering That Every Designer’s Journey is Different
Some designers grow fast, others take longer - and that’s okay. Just because you haven’t reached a certain milestone yet doesn’t mean you won’t. In most designer’s journey it can take years, yes years, to get licensing deals and be making a steady, reliable and good amount of income every month. If you’ve been doing for only 1-2 years, know that it can take longer.
Action step: Write down three things you have achieved in your creative journey - big or small. This could be selling your first pattern, completing a design challenge, or getting a kind comment from a stranger who loved your work.
Final Thought: You Are Not Alone in This
If you’ve ever felt like quitting, please know this: I have felt that way too. And so have thousands of other designers. But the fact that you’re still here, still creating, still trying - that means something. It means you care. It means you’re growing. It means you’re on the right path, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.
Whenever doubt creeps in, come back to this: You are good enough. You are capable. You have something to offer the world. Keep going! (We all need this reminder sometimes).
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