The Leadership Advice I Received This Year That Changed Everything

2022 was a year full of high highs and low lows for Gallardo Labs.

What I read and heard from other respected leaders in the industry was that the ups and downs are all part of the agency game. But for some reason for which I couldn’t quite understand, I was losing the passion to play this game.

In July, I decided that something needed to change.

I did what any CEO going through a potential midlife career crisis might be tempted to do. I delegated all important tasks and left the country for a month to reflect, reset, and redefine what was next.

Throughout this process (and in between adventures like the one photographed above), I received a piece of advice that would open my eyes to a new way of living as a design leader forever. Here’s what happened.

Reflect

In my early days as an artist, student, and then UX/UI designer, I was creating all day.

I would put my headphones on and blissfully tune out the world as I worked. It was truly my favorite thing in life to do–get locked into creating something. I found inspiration everywhere, even (and especially) when I wasn’t looking.