Keep Making Things That Fall Short of Your Standards.

When I first heard Ira Glass talk about the "Creative Gap" in this video it changed my world. I remember sharing this video on Facebook because I thought everyone needed to hear it.

That was around five years ago. It was a powerful message that sat with me, but it stayed in my deep mind. A couple days ago I tried to recall these words, this video, but I couldn't. You know when you desperately try to remember a quote or a reference but you can't recall the important keywords to search in Google?? Yes that happened to me but luckily I was able to recall this video.

I recommend that you watch the 1:50 minute video once a week at least. In the quick video he reassures beginning creatives that at first, what you make falls short of your standards, your "great taste."

But the good news is, you still have great taste!

"Everybody goes through that. And you got to know it's totally normal and the most important possible thing you could do is do a lot of work. Do a huge volume of work, put yourself on a deadline so that every week or every month you know you're going to finish one story because it's only by actually going through a volume of work that you're actually going to catch up and close that gap."

-Ira Glass

This quote paired with Seth Godin's advice for writing a blog post every day has definitely shifted my 5 year long stint of "Paralysis in Analysis."

"Everyone should write a blog, every day, even if no one reads it. There’s countless reasons why it’s a good idea and I can’t think of one reason it’s a bad idea...

Committing to having a point of view and scheduling a time and place to say something is almost certainly going to improve your thinking, your attitude and your trajectory...

A daily blog is one way to achieve this. Not spouting an opinion or retweeting the click of the day. Instead, outlining what you believe and explaining why...

Commit to articulating your point of view on one relevant issue, one news story, one personnel issue. Every day. Online or off, doesn't matter. Share your taste and your perspective with someone who needs to hear it...

Speak up. Not just tomorrow, but every day."

-Seth Godin

The experts have it. Create everyday, without thinking too much about it. When you finally look back, you will have closed the gap.

Be well,

Nihel