Martin Scorsese approached filmmaking by having one of his archivists record videos of films and live TV with multiple VCRs, and cataloging them into a system. He ended up with thousands of these videos. You will approach your work with the same kind of obsessiveness, though perhaps to a smaller degree. You will research meticulously, collect your discoveries, and organize them. You will notice an appetite for new experiences. As Anna Wintour says, “Developing a creative eye or developing taste, I think that’s something that you have within you from a very early age but it is also something that you can develop through exposure to culture, to the arts, through reading, visiting museums, looking at what’s going on in the world around you.”

When you decide to learn taste, you are choosing to train your mind. (Noting that this is active—a subtle, important, distinction, from the more passive act of letting your mind be trained.) You will be constantly asking questions such as, “Is this good? What makes this good? Why do I like or dislike it?” It will become what is known in Chinese as 职业病, an occupational disease. You will refine your instincts so much that it will be difficult to stifle; you may need to show restraint in order to make sure you don’t annoy your friends. 

You’ll also become more open-minded to other people’s opinions, seeking to understand them, and being willing to form your own. This can often come in the form of critical reception of your own work. You must be able to discern between the opinion, and any personal like or dislike, while maintaining a composure. A good critic is specific and fair, which makes the job easier for you.

The most important thing you’ll do with your taste—the whole point of it, really—is apply it. You’ll apply your taste to other people’s work when you decide to share it with your friends and family. You’ll also apply it to your own work as you attempt to make an option for the world. When you present your work, you will be able to do so with your own unique style. Your taste will become a critical aspect of your expertise.

Taste is important. It’s not a fixed trait that only special people have, it’s something that you can learn. It’s also not a natural condition; the most tasteful products aren’t always the most commercially successful. Tasteful work needs your support. If you want to see better—more tasteful—products and media, you need to develop your own taste and support the people making sincere efforts to apply their taste.