Stop Looking for Zebras - by Robert B Smith (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Stop Looking for Zebras is a no-nonsense, engaging and practical guide to keeping your job and sanity in this ever-changing world of creative communications. Over twenty years in the making, it is a deep dive into the creative process providing observations, exercises and anecdotes to help you better communicate in a shorter time frame.

Review Quotes

As someone who's deep into the world of branding and design, reading Robert Smith's "Stop Looking for Zebras" feels like having a heart-to-heart conversation with a mentor you never knew you needed. If you're a young designer looking to navigate the complex labyrinth that is the creative industry, then buckle up; you're in for a rollercoaster of sage advice, humor, and life lessons.

Robert Smith isn't your run-of-the-mill industry guru. He's more like a "Creative Sherpa" guiding you up the mountainous terrain of your career with grace and experience. His approach isn't preachy; instead, he uses stories to help you connect the dots which are, for creatives, sometimes frustratingly far apart. He's the friend who's been there, done that, and is now ready to share his map of shortcuts, pitfalls, and scenic views.

The book is a fun read. All the illustrations help us 'text-block challenged" creative peeps! Reading it feels like listening to an old friend share war stories from the creative trenches. Each story not only adds a layer of richness to Robert's advice but also makes complex concepts digestible.

But "Stop Looking for Zebras" doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of being a creative professional either. You know, the stuff we all experience but hardly talk about in polite company or *gasp* in front of clients. Smith dives into issues like procrastination, imposter syndrome, and dead-end creative gigs. He even throws in freelancing advice for those who took the solo route.

The book also serves a gentle reminder not to over-complicate things. As creatives, it's easy to get caught in the labyrinth of our minds, but Smith's advice cuts through this mental fog.

If you're looking to find a fulfilling and creatively satisfying path through the sometimes confusing minefield of creative professions, this book is your survival kit. It's a masterclass on how to be successful without losing yourself in the process.

- Philip VanDusen, Creative Entrepreneur

Like its namesake, a saying that urges us to begin with the simplest and most likely answer, Stop Looking for Zebras brilliantly simplifies the often-complicated creative process for designers, writers and students. In a seemingly insatiable industry craving constant content, the book offers essential exercises, tools, and strategies to help readers craft a sustainable and thriving creative career.

- Kelly Small, best-selling author of The Conscious Creative: Practical Ethics for Purposeful Work