We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dorian Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dorian, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I think I can narrow it down to a few things… but the first of which would be my parents for setting an example of strength, patience and good character. They’ve experienced every high, low, and curveball I can imagine, yet through the worst of it I am proud to say they were never robbed of their spirit or their kindness. They stood fast and never lost themselves when the world could prove itself cruel or unpredictable, and they made a point to pass on many of the lessons learned if mistakes were made along the way. They taught me right from wrong, that it was alright to be anything but perfect, that it was fine to know failure, and that there was no shame in being human.
They didn’t just talk the talk; they walked the walk. To this day they continue to choose forgiveness and growth and introspection over bitterness and pain. As a human being — not just their son — I can think of few better standards to aspire towards.
With this in mind… I would say that the second source of my resilience would be my commitment to what is right, rather than what is easy. Simply wanting better for everyone. I think people generally deserve due recognition, resolution, forgiveness, or even just a chance to triumph. I grew up an only child and that colored many of my experiences growing up. There was loneliness, introversion… I was a quiet creative rather than something confident or social, and I wound up bullied often for being different. I would feel unheard and alone, but I’d ultimately glean inspiration from my family and the few that reached out to comfort, counsel and know me.
They taught me the difference that simply being there can make, and that the only way we can truly overcome life’s challenges is together – that our strength feeds into the strength of those around us. People struggle in their own way every day, and so many of us are overwhelmed trying to solve every problem alone, so I hope to remind others that they simply aren’t – that someone, somewhere, will always be there to care and hear their story, even in their darkest hour.
This, I believe, is a good example of what is “right”.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In short: I am a game developer – but I am also a writer, composer, and artist, so I’d pooled my talents together in creating a tabletop role-playing game (“Gromoiyr”) that is the namesake of my company. I think being able to deliver engaging storytelling experiences or provide opportunities to express oneself as a player is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. There is also just being able to view comparable works through a different lens while enjoying (or contributing to) a pastime that I love.
As far as the project itself goes, I’d classify it as a work that is only as complicated as the reader makes it; there are options for new and veteran tabletop players alike, with an abundance of choices and ample room to tell a story that deviates from the genre’s norm of hinging strictly on battles to resolve scenarios.
While the lineup is mostly comprised of the core rulebook and a growing soundtrack, I’m pleased to announce that the first few adventures for the game are coming next month. Both paid and free content is planned for the future alongside short stories, so absolutely everyone invested in the setting will be able to enjoy it without worrying much about costs.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Having a love for what I do. If you commit yourself to something you don’t care for or even like, I think you’ll never realize your greatest potential in that area of your life. You might make more mistakes, lose interest, or wind up unwilling to see your goals made to a meaningful end. …as long as you’re passionate about your work, there’s more fulfillment and enjoyment to be had in doing it – a job sometimes stops feeling like a job by that point.
2. Learning to be pleased with myself. When creating, it is easy to be your own worst critic – and even easier to let the wrong voices define how you present yourself or your work. When I produce something that doesn’t appeal to a specific crowd, the urge to “course correct” will always be there, but the truest reward is ultimately in completing something that YOU can be proud of by the end of the day. I believe people will struggle to achieve happiness for themselves if they rely on pleasing everyone else, even if intentions are good.
3. Being able to appreciate the art of “disagreement” – knowing the difference between constructive and destructive criticism. You will want to work with people that are capable of disagreeing with you when they feel it is warranted, and to avoid people that will simply agree/disagree for the sake of being a contrarian. Be prepared to hear out differing opinions and aspire to understand the logic that brings people to their conclusions. Try your best not to let your emotions dictate the flow of development, keep a cool head, and don’t be afraid to maintain your vision even if it doesn’t make everybody happy.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
A few suggestions from me:
1. Don’t be afraid to take a break for your own sake. Take a little time out of every day to completely distance yourself from work, stress, or simply being productive. Entertain yourself with something you like – it’s that simple.
2. Do your best to worry less. Come up with a plan to solve a problem, consider the past when working towards the future, but try not to agonize over anything that is outside of your control. Working yourself up over something you cannot change will only cost you while doing nothing to fix the issue at hand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gromoiyrink.com/
Image Credits
Dorian I. Williams
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