Debunk the myths
how to make creative work easier
Here’s the only way we’ve found to make creative work easier: Debunk the myths.
It’s easy to get snagged on myths around what it looks like to create work that matters: that you need more talent, that your idea needs to be original, that you don’t have what it takes, and that there’s no point in trying. When those myths permeate our thinking, we lose steam, we lose conviction, and we lose heart.
But when we frame those beliefs as myths, they become less personal. We move from thinking that we don’t have what it takes to understanding that everyone who creates at some point or another will feel like they’re not up to the task.
We created the Brainstorm Road Ethos to debunk the myths and remind ourselves of how to actually get where we’re trying to go.
Tiny efforts every day
Ten minutes a day. Drip by drip our projects become real. Small steps don’t feel like much but they’re enough to take us the whole way. We don't depend on wide-open swaths of time. Instead, we commit to just a few minutes of intentional work each day.
Imperfect and in progress is the only way forward
There are no teachers at Brainstorm Road. There are no critics. There are no grammar police. There are only right answers. Correct mistakes. And roads that lead somewhere. Let your work – especially your early work – be messy. We are here to see your effort and help you find forward motion, not point out the issues with your work in progress.
Feedback makes our work better
Feedback is a gift – a gift that we give and receive. We reflect, we challenge, we poke and we prod. Criticism judges your work, whereas feedback improves it. (Worth repeating: there are no critics here.) The way to get great feedback is simple (which is different from easy): show up consistently and give generous feedback to others.
Hold it loosely
From the time we set foot on Brainstorm Road to the time we ship, we recognize that our projects are going to evolve. As we build, things change. We get insights from peers and make adjustments. We spot holes and pivot. We notice opportunities and run after them. This is great! We expect that our projects will change over time, so we grab on tight to the practice of making tiny efforts every day but hold our ideas loosely.
Post it anyways
Your ten-minute effort is not going to be polished. Post it anyway. Some days you’re going to feel like the small step isn’t big enough. It’s not and that’s the point. Big things come from small steps. Every day you are going to feel like there is more you could do. (There is and you will tomorrow.) We post what we’ve got. And we feel good about our small, imperfect daily effort.
Practice
Practice is your commitment to showing up and doing the work. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to commit to The Practice. The Practice of showing up. The Practice of making, then shipping. Then making some more and shipping again. And again. And again.
Building consistency is boring.
We want the big explosion of insight and inspiration, followed by copious amounts of uninterrupted time. It’s much easier to say you’re waiting for the Muse than it is to sit down for 10 minutes and sing something imperfect and in progress.
Big things come from small steps. Tiny efforts every day toward the finish line. Creative work is easier when we share the process with others who believe it’s possible and know it’s worth it. People who will celebrate our small, imperfect daily efforts.
We do not need to be good creatives. We need to decide to create.
Every day.
Just a little.
Make a little space to be creative. Learn more about Brainstorm Road here.