Shipping Creative Work
Note: We are what we do
How many times you were told that you can’t dance, that aren’t creative enough, that you can never make it ‘that big’? How many of us are just sitting on a (creative) idea, waiting for that ‘aha’ moment to start and eventually, ship nothing?
Impostor syndrome - they call it, but here is the good news: imposter syndrome is a sign that you're a well-adjusted human!
The imposter is a proof that we’re innovating, leading, and creating.
Impostor syndrome is a very natural phenomena and the only way to beat the hell out of it is..by shipping. And shipping begins with..well, the act of beginning.
“The only choice we have is to begin. And the only place to begin is where we are. Simply begin. But begin.” [Seth Godin]
Today, in this new edition of AtomicIdeas newsletter, I bring to you key ideas from Seth Godin’s book The Practice: Shipping Creative Work.
The notes below explores the key principles of shipping creative work - and mind you, creative work isn’t about art - it’s all about the act of creating.
Without further ado, let’s begin.
Creative work doesn't come with a guarantee
But there is a pattern to who succeeds and who doesn't. And engaging in the consistent practice of its pursuit is the best way forward.
When you ship or share what you create — whether you get paid for it or not — you establish a "Practice" which will help your creative skills to grow and expand even more in the future.
This kind of practice is self-driven and is not outcome-based. The more you ship, the faster your creative skills will grow and expand, and the better your art will become, whatever form it may take.
The magic of the creative process is that there is no magic. Start where you are. Don't stop.
Creativity is a choice
If you aspire to find a new truth, solve an old problem, or make the world a better place, you can. To achieve this, establish a "Practice" of consistently generating, sharing, and shipping what you make.
5 key principles:
Trust yourself to make great art.
Be generous with your art.
Be professional.
Aspire to make a change with your art.
Generate your art consistently.
Writers write. Runners run. Establish your identity by doing your work.
Making It Happen
The key to building a creative practice for yourself is to be consistent in generating and shipping your art — whatever form it may take.
Certainly, good processes help you generate professional-quality outputs, but consistency really is the key to moving forward. Generating art is something that you do, not merely something that you speak about.
Implementation: The Five Principles
Make bold assertions.
Earn your skills by consistently producing.
Welcome and harness your constraints.
Watch for creative ideas.
Be unquenchable.
The practice becomes your identity
The way we act determines how we feel way more often than the way we feel determines how we act. The way you behave will inform your identity.
If your practice is to go running every day, the more this practice is done consistently, the more you will have a runner's identity.
We are what we do.
Your work is too important to be left to how you feel today.
Happy shipping!
You can get the book from here.
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