It took me quite a while to find out what I am really good at. When I was at uni I realised that even if I like design, there are so many people out there who live design. They can’t stop drawing & sketching, they go every exhibition in town and they spend hours creating their own font.
That’s definitely NOT me...
I started to feel bad about it and thought I am a bad designer. Now I know that there is no right or wrong in design and not at all in the things that inspire you. Many designers and creatives find their inspiration in things that are not directly related to their jobs or their skills. I found out that I am most inspired by people who have skills that I do not have. I observe them and their ways of doing things. Whether it is about answering a brief, leading a team or selling an idea to a client.
I went to Hyper Island to find my own way of being a good creative and designer...
...to find inspiration. But it gave me something different. It was all about personal development and group development. And it gave me the important skill of self-reflection and learning from mistakes. So it is not about ‘not knowing something’. It is about ‘not being afraid of not knowing something’. It is about being fearless in throwing yourself out there and to take the challenge on. So in the end it comes down to ‘not being afraid to fail’. Failing is a very good opportunity to learn.
I do not fear a challenge
And I think it makes me the strong person I am. I do not fear a challenge. I see it as a chance for personal and professional development.
I am a problem solver
Over the last years here in London I finally realised what I am really good at. I am a ‘problem solver’. I observe my environment carefully every day and whenever I see potential to make something better, I come up with new ways to do so. I took it for granted for a long time because I always felt that way and thought it was normal. Being German probably means that the desire for efficiency is in the genes ;) I hear that a lot from others...
It's a gift as well as a pain...
However, I realised it can be a gift as well as a pain. Not everyone is open for feedback, critics and change that might come with spotting a problem. But I decided for myself to see it as a gift that not many people have. It’s probably just about finding the right place to fully embrace it...
in a nutshell...
NICKNAME
Anks.
In German Anke rhymes with 'Danke' which means 'thanks'. So it didn't take long for people to find an equivalent and I quite like it.
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LITTLE KNOWN FACT
I am a ski instructor.
My heart is in the Alps, so how to make life better than spending it meeting loads of new people and teaching them how to glide down the smooth curves of the white Alps...?
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FAVOURITE PLACE
The Alps.
I love the being in the mountains, summer and winter. Paradise-like beaches don't do it for me.
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BOOKS I’M READING
‘The Four Agreements’.
By Don Miguel Ruiz. It helps me focus on the important things in life. I helps me to relax my mind and be myself...
'Inner Skiing'.
By W. Timothy Gallwey & Robert Kriegel . It gives answers to the big questions every skier (or athlete) asks themself. I know exactly what I need to do to get better, but my body won't follow...
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FAVOURITE APPS
Citymapper.
For the amazing interface and the little easter egg surprises. I wouldn't know how to get around town without it anymore...
YR.
It tells me the weather report including snow forecast every morning! A must have!
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MOST LOVED IN MY HOME
A framed and signed print by Oliver Jeffers.
It shows page 31 of the book ‘Lost and Found’. And it reminds me every day how important good friends are. I love all of the illustrations of his children’s books. Especially ‘Lost and Found’ and ‘The Incredible Book Eating Boy’ as a pop-up edition.
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IN FIVE YEARS
...I will own a chalet in the mountains.
It's always been my dream to live in the mountains permanently. I would love to find a barn and do it up as my home.