I want to talk about approach and navigation, and as I'm sure you can tell from the aptly applied title of this installment - I want to focus on an imperfect approach.
I'm not using imperfect or immature in a negative way that would suggest a lack of reverence for your craft, but in a way that’s childlike and pure.
I've been wrestling a lot lately with how to approach things "correctly" – and I've finally reached a point where I can confidently tell you that there is absolutely no conclusive way to approach anything "correct.” It's all subjective. But what I have learned throughout sifting through thoughts, opinions, and contradictions is that there tends to be one method that lends to success and better ideas more often than not. This is the immature approach.
A lot of things could be said within this context, but I want to keep all of the noise out and focus on the sediment of this thought.
In theory, it could be summarized that we need to stop doing whatever we are doing when we get to a point where we would consider ourselves "good" at what we do. The immature approach and lack of understanding of something provide the purest version of an idea because we've approached it with innocence, and without blemishes from past experience.
If we understand something, we will overthink. And when we overthink – we begin watering down the initial intention and pure creative thought.
As I ruminated on this idea for about a week before gathering my thoughts and writing all of this down. I began asking myself some baseline questions to establish what qualifies as "good.”
Am I good when others applaud me?
Am I good when I make a lot of money doing something I love?
Am I good when people steal my ideas?
Am I good when I can look back on a project and not see anything I would have done differently?
Is good subjective?
Am I good at what I do now?
I then listed the qualities that a child possesses –
A child doesn't overthink.
A child doesn't factor in potential failure.
A child doesn't worry about how they're perceived when they chase something they want.
A child moves quickly.
A child acts as soon as they have thought – they don't wait for reason to talk them down.
A child is impulsive but committed to getting what they want.
I think we all know when we get good at something in our gut. It's a lingering feeling that needs to simmer long before it begins to boil up. Many claim that they’re skilled at something, but only you will truly know when it’s a true statement or not. You feel it when you say it. Even if you don't like that you don’t feel it. Our inner voice knows that we’re overcomplicating and not taking the immature approach that we could be using for our benefit.
And when you can finally claim "good" at something that's when a vow of silence needs to be taken. To recall why you started whatever you are now good at.
To look back on old work and observe the childlike approach – the immature approach.
Honing a craft, an idea, or a business is a beautiful thing. But I believe it's only truly beautiful when it's done from a place of honoring the thing that made you act – a mystery, a desire for more, a passion to bring something new to the table, or knowing there's more but not knowing how to get more. It's crucial that we keep in mind our 'why' in every stage of progress.
Be childlike, don't overthink, don't water down, don't ask questions.
Just act – and do it with some immaturity.