Choosing a tattoo design is a huge decision and obviously one that has life long implications. Here are three principals to apply when choosing a tattoo design.

1. Passion. What do you have true passion for? You can seldom go wrong when choosing a tattoo design if you can answer this question. True passion means "lasting passion". It's not enough to just feel passionate about something that could potentially be fleeting. Feeling true passion for something means that it is not a fad or an ideal that rolled in with the tide and will roll out the same way. True passion is not only strong in the moment, but strong in the long run. It is true that even a seemingly long lasting passion can unexpectedly simmer down or altogether disappear, such as a marriage. Thus passion towards a generalized state of who you are, what your character is, or those whom you will always love no matter what are things to consider when applying passion for a strong tattoo image. And if a particular passion does fade, the tattoo design can serve as a reference as to what passion feels like. Then that particular tattoo design can be applied to greater endeavors in your life to come, and can still serve as an overall symbol for passion.

2. Symbolism. A tattoo design has long been known to serve as a symbol for something. Choosing symbolism as a means to find the right tattoo design can serve both the purpose of providing meaning to the tattoo, while also helping you greatly narrow down your decision. For instance sailors used to get a nautical star tattoo design as a symbol for guidance and protection. Here you have a simple star suddenly taking on a much stronger importance as a tattoo design with strong symbolism.

3. Individuality. Finally, a tattoo design is personal. It is not a car or piece of clothing you are going to buy, only to discard when the latest trends tell you it's time to move on. No, this is going on there for good. So before getting a chain link around your bicep or a rose on your ankle, because your girlfriends or the guys at the gym got the same, think instead about implementing your own individuality into a tattoo design. But if it is a generic design and you do you feel a personal attachment to it, you truly enjoy the particular image, then do consider it. There is an old school black tiger tattoo design that many people take a personal liking to and have made the decision to have it inked. To test out your personal feelings towards a particular tattoo design, it's always wise to wait six months to a year, and then see if the feeling still holds strong. A tattoo design absolutely does not have to be originally made for it to be personal. Most of the time, quite the contrary, since there are so many wonderful, beautiful, stunning, and strong tattoo designs already in existence made by artists with a true passion for their craft, one can most always find a design that speaks to them in a personal way.

So while choosing a tattoo design can seem difficult and demanding, by implementing passion, symbolism, and your own individual and personal nature to the mix, you increase the chances enormously of choosing a tattoo design that will last strong and long.