We love rebels and people who challenge the status quo, conventional wisdom and mainstream narratives and so we asked some really bright folks to tell us about one piece of conventional advice they disagree with.

Heather Duffy

Yeah! One piece of conventional advice I disagree with is “Fake it till you make it.”

While confidence is important, faking expertise or success can backfire, especially in professional settings. Learn as you go and be honest about what you don’t know. People respect authenticity (especially now in our world) and you can build credibility by showing a willingness to grow rather than pretending you already have it all figured out. Read More>>

Ziyi Jiang

One common piece of advice I often hear is, “To succeed, you must specialize in a single field.” While specialization has its merits, I believe that true innovation often comes from cross-disciplinary experiences. My career journey has taken me across multiple industries—healthcare, SaaS, AI, and e-commerce—and each has contributed to my growth as a UX designer. Read More>>

 Purnima Bhutoria

One piece of conventional advice I disagree with is *“Stick to one path and specialize early.”*

Throughout my journey, I’ve found that exploring different creative disciplines—graphic design, photography, filmmaking, and production design—has only enriched my work. If I had forced myself to specialize too soon, I might never have discovered my passion for storytelling through spaces. The risks I took, from switching majors to studying abroad and stepping into the unpredictable world of filmmaking, shaped my perspective in ways a linear path never could. Read More>>