We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachel Olney a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Rachel, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
My optimism comes from a few different things. At its foundation, my perspective has been heavily influenced by my grandmother, who I was very close with. When I would share things with her, she would often remark things like “what a great lesson to learn.” She was always reframing things or finding positives. This perspective has been even more engraved as I’ve gone through challenging times. There were moments I would fall into negative thinking, and realize I was stuck. Looking for a positive and a gain out of challenging experiences became a way through and a path forward. Negative experiences are inevitable, but having an optimistic perspective is a choice that can take a lot of strength.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have been motion designing / animating professionally for around 11 years now. Time really does fly by.
I love motion design because it combines a lot of things I love into one; art / design, storytelling, and video. I love being able to capture a feeling through the type of movement.
Before I found motion design, I had tried a variety of things from fine art (drawing & painting), to graphic design, to video production & editing. Having that background really helped me gain the skills that I now apply to motion design, and I’m grateful for how my journey has gone so far.
It has been challenging at times, but I think it’s important to keep working hard for the things you want to do, and try to have fun doing it! The best work comes out of when we are enjoying the process, and not just the end result. Sometimes people might tell us that they don’t think our work or idea is good, but if you believe in it, then don’t let those comments deter you from creating or doing that thing, whatever it may be. You may even surprise yourself and others as well.
If anyone is interested in seeing some of my animations, you can check out my reel here : vimeo.com/racheljolney/rjoreel2020 or my instagram instagram.com/rachel.j.olney
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
3 things for me were work ethic / discipline, stepping outside your comfort zone / trying new things, and developing more confidence.
Work ethic no matter what you’re trying to achieve is essential for reaching any goals, professional or personal. Very early on in my journey, I was putting in a lot of hours. Hours to learn the programs that would allow me to make the things I want to make, which were also the skills I needed to learn to get a motion job. Hours beyond the average work day to give the best quality and get things done when I was still learning. Hours in my free time making personal projects to learn other skills and make something fun. There were a lot of sacrifices I made, but those sacrifices were investments in the skills I was learning, in the portfolio I wanted to have, and building trust with the people I worked with to prove that I was up to the task.
Stepping outside my comfort zone wasn’t always something I chose for myself, but it was crucial in my development. The important thing is, as scary as it is, that you are giving your all in those moments. If you aren’t stepping outside your comfort zone, try to create those opportunities. Outside of our comfort zone is growth, and growing is essential! Some of those moments for me involved presenting / public speaking. I am still very shy, but having to do that on many occasions both by requirement and some by choice, have helped me make leaps and strides in that. Little by little, not only helps build other skills, but your confidence. To be scared but then be able to say, “I did that!” You only get better through practice.
Lastly, confidence. As I mentioned confidence, just like any skill, is developed through practice. I am still building it. It is important because there will be challenging times and confidence will help you face those obstacles. It will help you believe in yourself. It will help you not take criticism too personally. There is also imposter syndrome which I think a lot of people can relate to. I think developing that confidence can help prevent feeling not good enough. The main thing I’d say that has influenced my confidence the most, were overcoming obstacles and opposition. The more challenges I overcame, the more I felt like, “well if I could do that, then I can tackle the next thing.” That and not compromising on the quality of the work I wanted to make. Making work I am proud of has also over time given me confidence. If you give your 100%, there’s nothing to regret and that can make you feel confident!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Feeling overwhelmed is tough. There are a few things that help me when I’m overwhelmed as it relates to a certain task or deadline. Having a plan. Uncertainty always makes me uneasy and overwhelmed, so trying to prepare what’s within my control definitely helps. If I’m running into an issue or block, it’s good to take a moment to think through what is the pain point and think through ways to solve it. Then trial those out. Definitely ask for help if it’s possible, when you need it.
As for overwhelm more broadly, I think it’s important to have a work life balance, surround yourself with good people and prioritize things that bring you joy. Earlier in my career I was working like crazy and often feeling overwhelmed. I had no balance. I wasn’t getting enough sleep or always eating proper meals admittedly. Definitely, take care of yourself physically and mentally. Reach out to good people who can lift you up and support you while you are navigating those challenges so that you don’t feel alone.
Lastly, making time for joy, and I truly mean things that have no other purpose besides that you like them. It could be playing a game, hanging out with friends, eating good food, a hobby or traveling. It’s easy to get caught up in the work hustle, but making time for joy is just as important. It’s good for mental health and happiness, staying inspired / getting ideas and keeping you motivated which will ultimately ensure you are bringing about your best self in other areas of your life!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.j.olney
- Other: Vimeo : https://vimeo.com/racheljolney
Dribbble : https://dribbble.com/RJO1418
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