Stop chasing the perfect idea

photo-1471362229315-912f1caf95f7

This is a short manifesto for makers and creators, whether it's events, programmes, startups, books, poems, art, etc.

We all get stuck in a rut. Maybe you have writers' block, or can't seem to crack the idea that's been hounding you for a while. Whatever the case is, knowing how to stop chasing the perfect idea is critical to kick-starting and sustaining your own transformative creativity, and it's as relevant in business and life as the arts. Here are three ways to stop getting in your own way.

Build a circle of perspectives you trust.

When you're turning an idea over and over in your head, it can be easy to lose perspective, so make sure you get fresh ones. Have a small circle of friends, colleagues or mentors whose opinions you trust and be sure to get their thoughts on whatever you're working on.

If you're a writer, run your concepts past a scientist. If you're a software engineer, find a poet to bounce ideas off of. If you're an entrepreneur, see what your artistic friend makes of it.

Exposing your idea to the light and to diverse perspectives is all about shortening the feedback loop. This is especially important with early-stage ideas. At this point, your idea is never going to be 100% watertight, and that's okay. It can feel uncomfortable sharing it before it's ready, but becoming used to getting feedback from a multitude of people will help you grow a thicker skin and eventually strengthen your idea. (Even better if those perspectives aren't in the same field or industry as you.)

When I had an idea about a new poetry event I wanted to start, I floated it past writers as well as designers, leadership coaches, business consultants, psychology students, booksellers and community organizers. They all brought completely different experience and points of view to spot potential pitfalls and opportunities that would never have crossed my mind otherwise. Not only did those conversations spark new avenues to explore, it piqued their interest enough to put me in touch with other creatives that could help me along the way.

Tech companies have this agile philosophy baked into their process: test early and often, get feedback quickly, learn, change and send it out again. Rinse and repeat.

https://medium.com/@cynthia.wmiller/stop-chasing-the-perfect-idea-ac89dd144ef6

You Have More Than Enough Time, You’re Just Not Sp...
The Myth of Writer’s Block
 

Comments

No comments made yet. Be the first to submit a comment
Already Registered? Login Here
Guest
Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Login With Demo User
Select a profile to login
Darius Scott
Nadia Cruz
Blair Campbell

Writer Biography

World class writer whom travel the 365 days on a yacht....

Writers

New Admin
0 post
New Admin has not set their biography yet
Karanveer
0 post
Karanveer has not set their biography yet
Eztune
0 post
Eztune has not set their biography yet
Panda Sam
0 post
Panda Sam has not set their biography yet
Sylvie
0 post
Sylvie has not set their biography yet

Popular Articles

"I don't have enough time." We've all said it before. Time poverty is a distribution issue. Many people hate being idle. They value productivity, so they glorify being busy. They seek out busyness for...
Someone once told me to write about what I know, so here's this: I'm good at not fitting in. I do it all the time. But humans need to belong, so I do these things to make people think I'm a normal hum...
We've been together for years. While I'd written other novels before during the high-pressured flurry of NaNoWriMo, I had never studied writing craft so deeply and applied it so faithfully to my own w...
I spent years falling into the black, bottomless abyss of of Writer's Block. I hit the wall time and time again, blaming it on an endless string of excuses, all of which ended with "Oh, woe, woe is me...
This is a short manifesto for makers and creators, whether it's events, programmes, startups, books, poems, art, etc. We all get stuck in a rut. Maybe you have writers' block, or can't seem to crack t...

Albums

No photos available
No photos available
No photos available