We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joshua Mount a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Joshua, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Practice! It’s really is that simple. You just do it over and over. Challenges arise, you work through them, become more enlightened on the other side of those challenges, then do it again.

Something I could’ve done to speed up the process was seek a teacher/mentor. Someone with extensive knowledge and great skill in their craft to share their learned experiences with me so that I may apply it to my own.

One of the skills I think was most essential to my learning process was my attitude toward what I was doing. Attitude is everything. A positive, constructive, gritty one of course.

Obstacles that stood in the way related mostly to self-limiting thoughts and beliefs. Doubt. Fear of opinion and failure. Others obstacles would’ve included your basic outside distractions. Things like peers, consumption of debilitating substances, beers…

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Of course!

I’ve been in the design industry for nearly 20 years now, where I’ve worked on graphic art projects for many types of businesses in various fields of industry. Some of them include political, tech, lifestyle and outdoors, entertainment and television. Some of them were for entrepreneurs or startups and others for corporations or non-profit organizations. I’ve designed logos, stationary, brochures, presentations, websites, and more. I’ve loved every ticking second of it.

I always say my greatest strength (outside of my creative talents) is my ability to communicate. Once someone else is involved in the creative process with me as part of a collaborative effort, the objective is to do what’s best for the artwork, even if it means sacrificing my own preconceived ideas about what it should be. My ability to make certain that happens is my most valuable quality.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

You bet there are!

Here are some books that I’ve read that have made the most impact on my career and personal life:

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
The Surrender Experiment by Michael A. Singer
The Gene Keys by Richard Rudd
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is being an artist or creative. The opportunity and the privilege of simply being able to do it is enough. It is a gift. Although, one could say there is something even more rewarding. And that is to share the gift. Well, to give it away, really.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mountdedsigner.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuamount
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountdesigner
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamount