The line about assumptions becoming invisible was my favorite. I’ve realized lately how many things I treat like facts are really just old conclusions I stopped questioning. Especially creatively. It’s strange how fast “I don’t think people would care about this” can turn into a permanent belief without any real evidence. This felt less like a newsletter about productivity and more like a reminder to actually examine the stories we keep telling ourselves. Thank you Idris for giving me so much to consider and Happy Friday!
The section about creators assuming audiences value the same things they value is so accurate. I used to obsess over tiny technical details in my paintings thinking viewers would notice every brush choice the way I did. Most people responded to the emotional atmosphere instead. The mood. The tension. The feeling. That realization changed how I approach composition entirely. This newsletter captured something a lot of creatives learn the hard way: effort and impact are not always the same thing. A very impactful newsletter Idris Elijah and Happy Friday to you!
I love the point about musicians assuming listeners care about technical complexity. Earlier on I spent so much time trying to impress people with layers, transitions and production tricks. Meanwhile the songs people actually remembered were the simplest ones emotionally. The ones with a strong melody or a line that felt human. AI is making me think about this even more lately too. Technical polish is becoming easier to fake. Taste and emotional judgment really aren’t. Thank you Idris Elijah for this thought provoking topic and enjoy your weekend!
This reminded me how often I assume I already know why something isn’t working before I’ve really looked at it honestly. Between work, parenting and trying to make time for myself creatively it’s easy to jump straight into frustration instead of curiosity. The “What assumption am I making?” question genuinely feels useful outside of creative work too. I’ve started catching myself doing it during stressful moments instead of immediately spiraling into “I’m failing at this.” Thank you for the practical tips Idris Elijah and Happy Friday to you!
The line about assumptions becoming invisible was my favorite. I’ve realized lately how many things I treat like facts are really just old conclusions I stopped questioning. Especially creatively. It’s strange how fast “I don’t think people would care about this” can turn into a permanent belief without any real evidence. This felt less like a newsletter about productivity and more like a reminder to actually examine the stories we keep telling ourselves. Thank you Idris for giving me so much to consider and Happy Friday!
The section about creators assuming audiences value the same things they value is so accurate. I used to obsess over tiny technical details in my paintings thinking viewers would notice every brush choice the way I did. Most people responded to the emotional atmosphere instead. The mood. The tension. The feeling. That realization changed how I approach composition entirely. This newsletter captured something a lot of creatives learn the hard way: effort and impact are not always the same thing. A very impactful newsletter Idris Elijah and Happy Friday to you!
I love the point about musicians assuming listeners care about technical complexity. Earlier on I spent so much time trying to impress people with layers, transitions and production tricks. Meanwhile the songs people actually remembered were the simplest ones emotionally. The ones with a strong melody or a line that felt human. AI is making me think about this even more lately too. Technical polish is becoming easier to fake. Taste and emotional judgment really aren’t. Thank you Idris Elijah for this thought provoking topic and enjoy your weekend!
This reminded me how often I assume I already know why something isn’t working before I’ve really looked at it honestly. Between work, parenting and trying to make time for myself creatively it’s easy to jump straight into frustration instead of curiosity. The “What assumption am I making?” question genuinely feels useful outside of creative work too. I’ve started catching myself doing it during stressful moments instead of immediately spiraling into “I’m failing at this.” Thank you for the practical tips Idris Elijah and Happy Friday to you!