I’m so used to pushing when something isn’t working…More effort, more thinking, more emotion and half the time that’s exactly what makes everything muddy. The idea that calm and structured thinking actually frees creativity explains so much about why things finally click for me when I slow down and name the real problem. The parallels to music and writing felt honest, not forced. This was grounding in the best way. Thanks for writing this Idris for anyone who needs to solve a hard problem and Happy Friday to you!
The parallels to songwriting were spot-on. I’ve spent way too much time adding layers to a track when the real issue was structural, like the chorus just wasn’t earned yet. The idea of stripping things back to find the signal hit home. Also loved the emphasis on testing instead of guessing. That alone could save me hours. Really appreciate this one Idris Elijah! Enjoy your weekend!!
Love these realizations, Brooke! Testing instead of guessing (experiment) is my favorite technique of the eight. You’re most welcome!! Have a great weekend as well!!! 🙌🏾🤩🤗
The divide-and-reduce sections are so accurate. I’ve definitely avoided drafts by keeping the task abstract (“fix the story”) instead of concrete (“cut this paragraph”). Breaking it down the way you describe makes the work feel possible again, not overwhelming. I appreciate how practical this was without being preachy. Thank you Idris Elijah for sharing what actually works and Happy Friday!
I’ve noticed how often I keep working when I haven’t actually named what needs fixing at my job. Slowing down enough to say what’s actually not working feels obvious but I almost never do it until I’m frustrated. This was a good reminder that calm thinking isn’t passive. It’s a skill. Thank you for these useful tips Idris Elijah and hope you have a great weekend!
Even though this is about code, it mapped cleanly onto how I work visually. When something isn’t landing, my instinct is to push harder instead of stepping back and isolating the problem. The reminder that subtraction reveals truth felt especially relevant. This helped me see my own creative process more clearly. Thank you for sharing all of these valuable insights Idris Elijah and have a great weekend!
Love this for you! So pleased this issue allowed you to see your own creative process more clearly! You’re most welcome and have a great weekend too!! 🙌🏾🙃
I’m so used to pushing when something isn’t working…More effort, more thinking, more emotion and half the time that’s exactly what makes everything muddy. The idea that calm and structured thinking actually frees creativity explains so much about why things finally click for me when I slow down and name the real problem. The parallels to music and writing felt honest, not forced. This was grounding in the best way. Thanks for writing this Idris for anyone who needs to solve a hard problem and Happy Friday to you!
Indeed, it’s always a pleasure! You got this!! Have a great weekend too, Brian!!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
The parallels to songwriting were spot-on. I’ve spent way too much time adding layers to a track when the real issue was structural, like the chorus just wasn’t earned yet. The idea of stripping things back to find the signal hit home. Also loved the emphasis on testing instead of guessing. That alone could save me hours. Really appreciate this one Idris Elijah! Enjoy your weekend!!
Love these realizations, Brooke! Testing instead of guessing (experiment) is my favorite technique of the eight. You’re most welcome!! Have a great weekend as well!!! 🙌🏾🤩🤗
The divide-and-reduce sections are so accurate. I’ve definitely avoided drafts by keeping the task abstract (“fix the story”) instead of concrete (“cut this paragraph”). Breaking it down the way you describe makes the work feel possible again, not overwhelming. I appreciate how practical this was without being preachy. Thank you Idris Elijah for sharing what actually works and Happy Friday!
I’m glad the divide and reduce sections made the work feel possible and again, and not overwhelming. You got this! Happy Friday!! 🤩🤩
I’ve noticed how often I keep working when I haven’t actually named what needs fixing at my job. Slowing down enough to say what’s actually not working feels obvious but I almost never do it until I’m frustrated. This was a good reminder that calm thinking isn’t passive. It’s a skill. Thank you for these useful tips Idris Elijah and hope you have a great weekend!
Right, slowing down to speed up. You are most welcome, Maria! Have a great weekend as well!! 🤗🙌🏾🙌🏾🤩
Even though this is about code, it mapped cleanly onto how I work visually. When something isn’t landing, my instinct is to push harder instead of stepping back and isolating the problem. The reminder that subtraction reveals truth felt especially relevant. This helped me see my own creative process more clearly. Thank you for sharing all of these valuable insights Idris Elijah and have a great weekend!
Love this for you! So pleased this issue allowed you to see your own creative process more clearly! You’re most welcome and have a great weekend too!! 🙌🏾🙃