Episode 17: The Mindset Journey with Mable Tan
The Winding Path
Surface pattern designer, Mable Tan, shares her story of how she finally arrived at her career as a surface pattern designer. From writing for magazines to food blogging to fine art photography, Mable has done it all. Our paths to finally arrive at what we love and is successful can be a long journey. However, it must be remembered that nothing is wasted. Mable shares how each of her former paths has made her a stronger and more well-rounded surface pattern designer.
Working in the Margins with Intention
As Mable developed her portfolio of patterns, she was also a full-time mom working in the margins of her life while her son was napping. She believed that she was "more than just a mom" and committed to being a surface pattern designer before any money was made.
Mable had a vision for her future from the very beginning and was intentional about getting there. She knew that she was capable, smart, and talented...so why wouldn't she be successful? That was her mindset. While building her business, she also had the belief that this career was so special that she wanted to share with other mothers and disabled people specifically on how to achieve this. Mable believes wholeheartedly in community over competition and has created a very active community on Facebook.
Mindset and Belief In Oneself
There are always going to be hurdles and bumps in the road of this creative entrepreneur journey. Mable explains that she still deals with imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and fear. This year, she even took a mental health break from pitching due to the mental toll it was taking on her.
One way, that Mable deals with self-doubt is by knowing that others have paved the way and have been successful. She says, "You don't need to believe in yourself from the start, but you need to believe that it is possible." She chooses to feel the fear, take one step at a time, and see how far she could go and continue.
Mable also believes that there is "always going to be room for her." This helps when it comes to rejection (which she STILL gets). She believes that just because you get a "no" doesn't mean it's a no forever and if you don't try you will never know. While you are waiting in the slow seasons continue to make art!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Our paths as creatives can feel like a long and winding road to arrive at the thing that we love and reach success, but we must remember that nothing is wasted.
There is space for all of us. If we extend a hand, we all rise together.
If you are a mother, remember that your identity is more than “just a mom.” The internet has opened opportunities that we have never had before to cultivate and thrive as creatives while also being mothers.
This journey as an artist is more of a mindset journey than anything else.
You don’t have to believe in yourself quite at the start, but simply believing it is possible and that others have succeeded is a powerful first step.
Feel the fear and take the step anyway. If we don’t try, we will never know.
Rejection is not necessarily a no forever. We also need to remember that our value is not attached to our success or our failure.
”What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Mable Tan is a surface designer, based in Melbourne, Australia. Her style is whimsical, fun, and joyful. Her work is very much inspired by nature and birds. When she’s not drawing, she can be found in the kitchen baking or cooking up a storm, or going on a walk by the river for some inspiration. “I see my life as something artful-always creating and making it happy, fun and colourful in any way I can.”Her work has been seen in Target Australia, Spotlight, RICE DK.She has been featured on Oh Joy! blog, Mantra mag, Flow mag, Origin mag.
Visit her website at: www.mabletan.com or on instagram.
