I think I get what the author trying to say. In my years as a graphic designer (mostly print), I intuitively knew when something “felt right”, and when that happened, I often have made something that I am still proud of today. It may have not been for everyone and it may have been hard to sell to clients (who often prefer what they have already seen in successful examples), but I didn’t care, because I saw the value in it and often a few other people also did.
Those were the projects that I redesigned multiple times, because the previous approach just didn’t “feel right”. I invested a lot of research into that feeling, it was somehow addictive (and sometimes equally frustrating) to me.
As a developer, I now have a similar experience with personal projects that grew out of my own curiosity. When doing something for clients, I often feel myself torn between what feels “right” to me and what the client actually wants or prefers. It may often not be what they really need, and I know that, but this is why I must have my personal projects, because client work often feels unfulfilling to me (however, it is fulfilling in a different way).
Those were the projects that I redesigned multiple times, because the previous approach just didn’t “feel right”. I invested a lot of research into that feeling, it was somehow addictive (and sometimes equally frustrating) to me.
As a developer, I now have a similar experience with personal projects that grew out of my own curiosity. When doing something for clients, I often feel myself torn between what feels “right” to me and what the client actually wants or prefers. It may often not be what they really need, and I know that, but this is why I must have my personal projects, because client work often feels unfulfilling to me (however, it is fulfilling in a different way).