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I have kind of an idea, but it’s not complete and I’m afraid it will get shit on

Griteration

All Tools
GRITERATION@2x

The Context

You can’t have innovation without movement. It’s extremely hard to get momentum around something that doesn’t exist yet. In fact, until your idea comes into existence, the energy around it might have an adverse effect. It can pull the idea down and out to sea like an undertow. And once that negative momentum starts, it takes tremendous time, energy and money to turn it around. That’s why creative people need to be deeply conscious about the process of iteration. This word derives from a term that means, repetition. That’s crucial, as the outcome of each iteration is then the starting point of the next iteration, ultimately spiraling up to an idea that has a real impact.

The Tool

two color

Griteration

GRITERATION — Pushing forward incrementally to spiral up to an idea that has a real impact

Which of your current projects lacks momentum? How could you iterate on something, anything, just to get the ball rolling? Engage with that process early and often, and you’ll give your idea the highest probability of having an impact. As the spiral dynamics sages say, you’re always growing, yet never covering the same ground, not merely an explanation of the past, but it's also a prophecy of the future. You’re engaged in the process of becoming something more than it was, and yet not what it will be.

Scott's Take

Scott's Take

Rubin, the notorious record producer, was recently featured in a documentary about his mythical studio recording space. Shangrila has been ground zero for many of rock’s most iconic records since the seventies, and so says the man behind the madness, the magic is difficult to define. He says the inspiration that artists develop in that space might be from the energy in the place itself, or it might be people’s belief in the mythology behind it. But ultimately, it doesn’t matter. When you’re trying to innovate, you take your momentum where you can get it. You do whatever you have to in order to hit the next iteration, until eventually, you get something that takes your breath away. If you can try to deeply understand the factors that give you momentum, but don’t over analyze it. Some things aren’t meant to be explained, only experienced.

The Rest

Creativity is equal parts magical and mechanical. It requires more trust and surrender than most are willing to give, but it does work if you learn to let go, keep iterating and generate as much movement as possible. How will you capture the sequence that ignites and accelerates momentum?

The Benefits

Resist the undertow of projects that aren’t fully formed
Get the ball rolling quickly so you can fail fast and grow
Give your idea the highest probability of having an impact
Capture the sequence that ignites and accelerates creative momentum

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