KILLING YOUR CHILDREN

Or More Importantly, How to Let IDEAS GO

I used to say, "Ideas are cheap, it's the execution that's expensive." And it's true, ideas no matter how complex cannot compare with the amount of time or resources one would spend to see them come to fruition.

Let's face it, not every idea is a goldmine and more importantly our time on this planet is only so long. That's why it's important to know what ideas make the cut and what ideas need to be left behind.

I used to have a friend who had TONS OF GREAT IDEAS. Her sketchbooks were filled with endless amounts of drawings and sketches and all of them were really good. She had the opposite problem of what I'm talking about. She never executed a one. She'd also get frustrated with me for not celebrating her ideas after a fashion. A sketchbook, at least to my mind was just an extension of her brain made real. Sure, I could admire it, but it was like bubble gum: sugar sweet but not nourishing in the least.

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UNDERSTANDING RESOURCES

As I've mentioned in previous posts, Bluesky Ideas are your first line of creative exploration. But once you get that out of your system you need to switch gears and access what you have and how you can make these ideas real. Here's a quick checklist to keep in mind:

• Passion

• Originality

• Learning Opportunity

• Ability

• Time

• Materials

• Resources

• Schedule

• Market

These things will help winnow down your list or at least help you prioritize what you can and can't do. It'd be great if there were fewer considerations, but I run into these constantly. But the one that tricks me the most, is PASSION. I'm a very passionate guy about ideas. I see things, the finished product, the possibilities and how much I'll enjoy the process.

IT'S A TRAP! Well, it's one of the only considerations that has very little logical basis. So, be wary about what you FEEL vs. what you THINK. Look for the balance.

ORIGINALITY- is something I do push for constantly...and possibly to my detriment. As I've said elsewhere, innovation (especially when it comes to software development) is only about 20%. You can't make a 90 degree right turn and make something non-relatable. Success in the marketplace in general, tends to create products that remind people of other things or current problems they're trying to solve.

LEARNING OPPORTUNITY- I always try to find a larger thing to focus on when approaching a new project. Whether it's shape design, acting, color, light, minimalism or hyper-realism, find a way to challenge your skills forward. You may struggle at first in your pre-production and testing phase but by the time you hit the ground running, it'll be nice to do it in a new pair of shoes.

ABILITY- This one is interesting, because if you are too far-reaching, you will become frustrated and not enjoy the journey. Remember to keep enough of your skillset in check to be competent but give yourself at least 20% to push those skills. Also worth noting is, do you have the stamina for long-term projects or short-term projects, or both.

TIME- How is this going to take? By doing a sample and logging the time from start to finish is how I determine this. Whether it's a week, three months or three years check in with yourself. Is this a marathon or a sprint? Endurance as mentioned in Ability, is a large part of execution. Start off incrementally, again, using the running metaphor, you have to build up mileage and condition yourself for longer projects.

MATERIALS- Do I have all the materials I need? Have I used these materials before. How much of the materials will I need and will it be a money pit. I don't necessarily put costs into this list because my belief is, anything worth doing I'm going to find a way to pay for it.

RESOURCES- This could be anything from reference to having someone to help you on a project. Having dependencies can be a little tough when trying to create. Not everybody can learn every aspect of the job they want to do on the project. Likewise, keeping the project within the scope of your resources is helpful. Whether its money or materials, understand what those limitations are.

SCHEDULE- Do you have a schedule that will allow for this project? Will the schedule interrupt The Flow that is required to do the work? For me, I have to make peace with the interruptions of client work (that's why I tend to work fast). What I have found though, is I'm only capable of having three PROJECTS or things going on at once. Anything more and I lose the satisfaction I get from doing any of them. And...it messes with my output expectations and self-imposed deadlines.

For instance, this is my current schedule:

• Gather lumber for painting palette woodworking project

• Prep next large-scale painting (gather reference/work up roughs/cut stretcher bars)

• Build frame for last 3 paintings

• Final pass edits on latest novel

As much as I'd love to start a comic project, I realize how much of a time sink that would be and, it would obliterate a few of these items. Now, you notice I said THREE and there are FOUR items here. Depending on the depth of a project determines if it’s a long-term or short-term project. Can it be done with days or weeks?

MARKET- What will the market bear? Is this project even going to market or is it a portfolio piece or both? It's worth doing research and understanding not only the audience but the landscape of similar projects. What are your expectations of where your project will go? Knowing this will help focus a few key points during your development process. It'll also give you an idea of how to package "the experience" along the way through videos, blog posts, and articles to market said project.

If all this sounds exhausting, sure, it can be. Creativity takes stamina and the introspective to KNOW THYSELF. But once you get these principles in your bones (and I'm sure there are others), they may really help guide you and make the act of creating not only fun but fulfilling in countless ways.

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