How do you envision yourself in the future?

“I want to be a designer.” If that dream has already come true and you’re enjoying your work as a designer, the next question is: “What do you want to achieve next?” 

In my case, I’m currently working in a design-centric role, but I didn’t initially set out to become a designer—I just happened to end up here. I was exposed to programming as early as elementary school and studied business administration and information systems in university. When I joined the workforce in 2002, I was assigned to a role as a network engineer. However, I was determined to work in software development, and after a transfer, I began working on CRM software. Back then, the term “UI design” didn’t even exist; it was lumped together with functional design and referred to as “preliminary design.”

In that role, I repeatedly visited users to gather their feedback, created screen mockups in PowerPoint, and conducted interviews. I analyzed good features in similar systems from other companies and compiled guides to communicate effectively with engineers. I always prioritized understanding the other person’s perspective. After the system’s cutover (or what we now call a release), receiving positive feedback from users gave me a strong sense of fulfillment during my corporate days.

Although tools and methodologies were few back then, my goal of “creating something easy for users to use” remains unchanged. What I did at the time—listening to users first, then advancing development and testing through prototyping—has since become a structured approach to product design. For me, it felt like confirming what I had instinctively been doing. At the same time, I realized the purpose of a designer, which has guided me to where I am now.

I didn’t start my career thinking, “I want to become a designer.” Instead, I realized I had simply ended up becoming one. Some people may share a similar experience, but my career path isn’t necessarily a useful example for others. That’s how diverse the paths to becoming a designer are, and how unique each designer’s journey can be.

The defining moment in life that everyone experiences

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they reach a “defining moment.” While I’d love to talk about the bright prospects of a career, such topics are often only discussed with close friends and family. During this time, income may stabilize as you gain knowledge and experience . However, it is also when you begin to reflect on family, health, and your place in life. You might pause and ask yourself, “Is this really enough?”

The joys of accomplishing things you couldn’t in your youth may be replaced by the gradual decline of memory and physical strength, leading to the inability to do what once came easily. Meanwhile, in the world of commercial design, the pace of change is staggering. New technologies and trends continuously emerge, and advancements, including the rise of AI. While those who excel in design or engineering might still find opportunities to compete, I’ve heard that those who’ve shifted their careers toward management or generalist roles often feel particularly threatened.

The term midlife crisis is commonly translated as “a crisis of middle age,” but I prefer to view it as the point when you reach senior-level in your career. I use the term “senior-level” because, with today’s diverse work styles, this isn’t something limited to people in their 40s—it can just as well happen in their 30s. From what I’ve observed, this turning point is something you can overcome. That’s why I focus not on the idea of a “crisis”, but on how to approach this transition and organize your “cards in hand” to prepare as early as possible.

For me personally, approaching my 40s brought significant changes to my health. I started questioning whether I could continue doing the same thing indefinitely, and this coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. I chose to see this as an opportunity—a perfect moment to pivot. I’ve since explored second-career options like becoming a coach, pursued further self-development, and begun challenging myself in new fields. This mindset shift is also what motivated me to write this article.

Careers and Role Models

I’d like to expand on the point I made earlier: “Other people’s career paths are not always useful.” Many people seek role models and mentors as they navigate their careers. Whether it’s “How to Become an Outstanding Designer,” “The Future of Design Careers,” or “What Does a PdM or CxO Do,” topics like these are frequently seen at design-related events, even if not explicitly stated in their titles.

It’s natural to look at successful cases, follow in those footsteps, and use them as a benchmark for your own career path. This is particularly true for product designers as there are fewer role models to draw from compared to other fields.

In my case, I started in an era with even fewer examples, but I’ve intentionally embraced the notion that “there is no one role model for a career.” While we can learn bits and pieces from others’ successes, it’s nearly impossible to replicate someone else’s career completely or achieve the same results. This is because our backgrounds, opportunities, and strengths differ. Each of us is unique, and we should build a career path that reflects our individuality.

With that in mind, as we face pivotal moments in our careers, the focus shouldn’t be on modeling ourselves after one specific person. Instead, it’s about learning from a variety of people and discovering our own unique strengths. By understanding others’ success stories, we can reflect on how to apply similar strategies in our own way and build a career based on our own personal strengths. This proactive mindset is crucial not just for designers, but for anyone navigating their career. When it comes to strengths, many people have explored this concept, but Peter Drucker’s work, “Management” offers particularly profound insights. He emphasized that knowing your strengths and leveraging them to their fullest not only enhances personal performance but also positively impacts the organization as a whole. In another of his works, “Managing Oneself”, he discusses the importance of understanding your strengths and explores life after overcoming the midlife crisis—a concept he was already writing about in the 1990s. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Strengths are the things you can do more easily than others

In today’s world, the overwhelming amount of information from external sources can easily trap us into relying on external evaluations and comparing ourselves to others. The first step in thinking about your career is to turn your focus inward. Those who have gone through job hunting have probably experienced the process of verbalizing their strengths. However, if you only say things like “I am willing to take on challenges and I am proactive,” then you aren’t truly leveraging your strengths. Phrases like “I have the ability to do ___” often lack real substance.

For example, what drives your impulse to take on challenges? Is it the desire to influence others through your challenges, or do you want to quickly find breakthroughs that others can’t? Perhaps you aim to inspire those around you. The core reasons behind these thoughts are diverse. Reflect on the patterns you’ve repeated in the past. A true strength lies in something that is reproducible and consistent—something you can do more easily than others.

It’s also important to be cautious with the word skill. “Skill” is often used to describe a concept that includes knowledge (the truths gained through learning), technique (the methods used to take action), and strengths, either separately or in combination. When we talk about “design skills,” for example, it’s important to break down what it really means by categorizing it into knowledge, technique, and strengths.

The trend of “being true to oneself” has become popular, and I feel that “self-congruence” in psychology has gradually been interpreted as “doing what you want to do.” People are no longer surprised when someone quickly changes jobs if they don’t feel the company fits them. If you find yourself repeating this pattern, before you give up on climbing the mountain in front of you, you should focus on discovering your strengths and shift your perspective to “How would I climb this mountain?”

From “I” to “We”

Through my mentoring experience, I’ve come to understand that discovering one’s strengths happens in stages. In the early stages of a career, your strengths are often not yet realized. After some time, through feedback and evaluation from others, you start to recognize what you’re good at and can begin to put those strengths into words. Ultimately, the goal is to fully understand your strengths and be able to use them consistently as part of who you are.

Being in a state where you can “use your strengths” means that your perspective shifts from “I” to “we” (the team). For example, this would mean collaborating with a member who is highly organized, discussing risks with the team to prepare for failure, and creating opportunities for others to challenge themselves. By doing this, you contribute to increasing the overall team’s success, which is an example of using your strengths.

In design projects, it’s rare to work in isolation; most projects are team efforts. By sharing your strengths within the team and understanding the strengths of others, you shift the focus to “we” enabling collective growth and collaboration.

If you’re in a senior position within an organization, it’s likely that your perspective has already shifted to “we” instead of “I” As you move away from design and take on leadership, mentorship, and other organizational responsibilities, the core remains the same: use your strengths and make them known. Likewise, understanding the strengths of team members and transforming those individual strengths into collective strength is the key.

From “We” to “Society”

In writing this, I spoke to as many designers as possible from a career perspective. It became clear that nearly all senior-level designers have faced challenges at some point and have come to realize their own strengths. While I am still on my own journey, I was able to empathize with the struggles and issues they feel. On the other hand, younger generations are already encountering a more complex environment. With an abundance of choices, diverse working styles, and overwhelming amounts of information, building a career has become even more complicated.

The design field seems to have shifted back from being driven by creativity to focusing on contributing to company growth, business success, and efficiency through task-based work. The number of designers switching jobs has increased, and careers have become more fluid. Career advice like “do what you love” or “become the person you want to be” may not offer the right solutions. To prepare for upcoming turning points, it’s crucial to lay out a solid foundation by first identifying your strengths and using them to shape your career.

For senior-level professionals, the perspective shifts from “I” to “we” and extends beyond just family and company to society at large. The designers of the future need to not only pursue their individual lives, but also understand society’s needs and think about how they can contribute. A career as a designer is not just about choosing a job; it’s a way to continue offering value to society by leveraging your strengths.

As a senior-level designer, instead of asking how you want your future to look, how about we think together about how you would climb the mountain ahead?