5 Reasons Why Sharing Your Skills Will Help You Improve
Whether you are at school or working in the design industry, it is often seen as valuable to be unique. Some people think that keeping their knowledge secret will make them stand out more. While that’s not wrong, sharing your knowledge will help you shine much brighter and longer in the long run. If one day your classmate or colleague needs help, take a minute to see if you can assist.
Let’s explore five reasons why sharing your skills and knowledge will help you:
- Improve faster
- Build a lasting network
- Make your learning journey more enjoyable
1. Explaining Helps You Master Your Subject
“Always share the good things in life.”
If you understand a concept but your classmate doesn’t, take a few minutes to explain it to them.
This process helps you:
- Memorize the topic more deeply
- Sharpen your understanding by answering unexpected questions
- Create a support system for when you encounter challenging questions yourself
TIP: All students are trying to figure out the same things.
Help each other out, and you will all progress more quickly.
2- Expand your network and friendship
“Spread the word out of the classroom” (Illustration from Alec Couros – Thinning the walls)
If you adopt a sharing mindset, push yourself to connect with others who think the same way. The more you share, the more you receive.
- When someone feels overwhelmed or lacks confidence, your peers can uplift and encourage you.
- When stuck on a project, a friend’s help can unlock new ideas.
- Exchange tips on where to buy art supplies or get good printing deals—you’ll save time and money!
TIP: Seek advice from senior students who have already faced similar challenges.
3. Learn and Compete Together
“Find great partners to compete with”
Your classmates are a good measure of your progress. If you see them improving while you remain stuck, it might be a sign that you have been in your comfort zone for too long.
I believe that competition provides a great motivational boost to achieve more. As you evolve and improve alongside your classmates, it’s really rewarding to add some fun and challenge. Make your friends your best competitors, and give each other feedback.
Drawing is all about strategy.
Think about friends who play chess, they compete, and the more they play, the more they improve their strategies.
I would like to share a few examples from my student days.
E.g.1 Show your work publicly
I used to attend large sketching classes with more than 150 students, blending specialities of Design such as Fashion, Video games, Transport, Visual communication, and Product design. For some students, such big classes felt impersonal and boring. For others, it was an opportunity to play and have fun.
The teacher gave some assignments and walked around to look at students’ work. He would pick a few pieces to show on the projector to the whole class and add comments. Sometimes, we could hear the crowd saying: “Wow!” after he picked our work.
It wasn’t about showing off. It just felt good and gave confidence we grew in the right direction. We also felt happy to indirectly help other students by doing something good enough to be followed. With some friends, we hoped to be picked and displayed at least once a week!
After that, some work was displayed on the school walls in the corridors for anyone to see. We could discuss our own and others’ work to improve ourselves. Our critique sessions were informal, and we learned a lot among us without waiting for teachers to push us. We were self-driven.
E.g.2 Communicate on online forum
My school had a private forum online. To be honest, not many students went there to connect. But this is where I started publishing my first sketches online and sharing with other student designers. I enjoyed posting products, sneakers, and even stuff within the group of video game designers. This is how I connected to senior students and other design disciplines.
E.g.3 “SKYPE quick sketching challenge!”
I have a friend named David Vong, an amazing artist I admire for his creativity and persistence. On Skype, late at night, we liked to have drawing challenges. But what to draw? One would pick a word randomly, the other a second word. We combined both to get a crazy subject for our “Quick sketching challenge!”.
We had 3 minutes to draw as fast as we could about this combination of two words. It forced us to think and draw quickly while being creative in a short time. At the end of each session, we shared points and ways to improve.
I don’t remember who came up with the idea, but we had a lot of fun!
TIP “Don’t feed your jealousy, but admiration for your design peers”
4. Sharing Creates Chances and Opportunities
Share your knowledge genuinely without expecting anything in return. Positive outcomes will naturally come back to you.
Feel grateful pursuing your passion among like-minded people. Those who keep their secrets might also succeed, and we wish them well. But surrounded by generous and positive people, your chances of success increase significantly, and your journey becomes much more enjoyable.
TIP: Make sharing a habit.
5. Don’t Feel Guilty About “Stealing” from Others
“BAD ARTISTS COPY, GOOD ARTISTS STEAL.”, PABLO PICASSO
(Picture from Ocean Eleven)
Remember when at school originality was hammered into us, and copying was wrong? This sometimes limits creativity. Instead, “steal” others’ ideas to permanently improve. Learn from others, make their knowledge your own, and mix it up to:
I would love to hear your experiences and opinions. Please leave a comment below!
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An experience where I import watercolour techniques to my sketches from manga artist.
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[…] However, the most crucial step had already been made: embracing the idea-and acting on it-that learning from others and incorporating their techniques into my own skillset would ultimately make me better at what I do. […]
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