I'm reading "Making Ideas Happen," a book by Scott Belsky. The subtitle is: "overcoming the obstacles between vision and reality." Belsky points out that "The most potent forces that kill off new ideas are our own limitations. Time is very limited, and with the demands of family, friends, work, and sleep, most ideas lose traction immediately...In some ways, the self-discipline and restraints necessary to execute an idea can feel like a tremendous compromise of your very essence as a creative person."
That's why sometimes it's easier to abandon a project when those compromises start and to move on to a fresh, new, uncompromised project. The problem is that this one, too, will hit that stage.
His prescriptions include:
* Manage your energy wisely. Your boss, your family, your friends, and society in various guises all demand a piece of you. You have to manage it so that you have a piece left for yourself and your creative projects.
* Accept that doubt, chaos, and obstacles are a natural part of the process. They may be uncomfortable but they come with the territory. As soon as you accept that, they have less power over you.
* Get organized. He says, "Someone with average creativity but stellar organizational skills will make a greater impact than the disorganized creative geniuses among us."
There's a sobering thought! Plug: I think you'll find some of the organizational methods in my book, "Focus: use the power of targeted thinking to get more done" useful in this regard. I'll also be sharing on this blog some more about my own struggles with getting--and staying--organized.
