❤️ #51 - Designers needed in Denmark!

That was a question a colleague casually threw at me during a conversation about growth and development. We were sparring about how people evolve over time.

One thing you should know about me: I’m a Forever Optimist. I’m not sure how or why, but it also means I haven’t always taken the time to properly reflect or learn from the past.

But as I started listing out my personal rejections, I realized—there were a lot. But first,

A brief history of Sid @ LEGO:
1. Started in Creative Play Lab as a Junior Designer (grew to Concept Lead)
2. Moved to another innovation area focused on shorter-term goals (still Concept Lead)
3. Moved to LEGO Education as Creative Lead for Mindstorms & SPIKE Prime
4. Joined LEGO Ventures as Creative and Innovation Lead for new startups
5. Returned to LEGO Design as part of the Design Leadership Team
6. Moved to LEGO Pokémon as Creative Lead

From Junior Designer to Design Director. Sweet ride.
All of these moves were choices I made—three of them were lateral, or sideways, because I simply wanted the job, not the title.

But the journey was anything but straightforward. Here are just a few of the roles I didn’t land:

1. Innovation Lead role within LEGO (twice!)
2. Roles at Google and Microsoft
3. Withdrew mid-process at Meta
4. Team Lead in LEGO Digital
5. My own previous Concept Lead role—which I couldn’t get again
6. A People Lead role in Design
7. Final round before the job vanished at a major design firm in Copenhagen

I’m sure I’m forgetting one or two more from the last 10 years.

All this to say, nothing is as straightforward or easy as it seems, I have had my fair share of rejections, 2nd, 3rd and 4th round rejections. In hindsight every single one of those wasn’t the right fit for me, I just didn’t see it at the time (the hiring managers did though, kudos to them!

So, what’s the takeaway Sid?

1. Reframe rejection as redirection – Every no helped clarify what I actually wanted. More often than not, it nudged me toward roles that were a better fit.

2. Craft over title – Some of my most fulfilling moves were sideways. I chose them simply because the work excited me. That was enough.

3. Track rejections, not just wins – I should’ve started this a long time ago. Reflection builds resilience. This post is my start.

And finally—shit happens… 🫠 
The painful truth is, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. I don’t have a fix for how much rejection can sting, it’s painful and frustrating and it can and has been crippling to both my ego and mental states.
But here’s what does help me — and maybe it’ll help you too, since I’m guessing you’re a designer, a craftsperson, a maker, a tinkerer, like me:

Keep busy. Make stuff.
Beyond being a great distraction, finishing even a small project can be incredibly fulfilling. You will not see it, and feel it in the moment, but you just have to trust me, sometime later you will feel incredibly proud and grateful that you spent the time making.
We have the tools to make real, tangible things. That’s our superpower.