I frequently find myself reminiscing on the words a strange man once yelled at me. “Put these foolish ambitions to rest”, he said. “Someone must extinguish thy flame. Let it be Margit the Fell!” Then he killed me, for like the fifteenth time.

For the longest time, I didn’t understand why people would go out of their way to choose a game that was punishing, like Elden Ring. But after like ten more attempts, I was dodging every tail swipe and spectral dagger thrown my way—and when I stood victorious, something indescribable clicked in my brain. I laughed out loud, “holy shit, I get it.”

Because design is basically the same thing. Sometimes software fails, ideas fall flat, you get lost in the weeds or completely lose your way. But you keep iterating, dodging the setbacks, and continue to chip away. At the end of the day, you get to stand triumphant, look at the finished piece, and say, "I made that." And it fucking rules.