Here’s an important reminder for creators… I’m now testing the latest iteration of Desktop Publishing Machine (DeskPM). As one of the alpha testers and get to not only discover and report bugs and stuff, but I get to go first and be a part of defining and building something significant. There’s an important message for anyone making or attempting anything.
Perfect
As with any piece of software there is always something to fix or improve. It never ends. Every now and then someone builds something that’s just perfect. However, nothing can be perfect forever. Whatever we put out to serve the world will always be affected by other factors. Changes in environment will create flaws.
Looking at the next build of DeskPM reminds me of the vulnerability of creating. It doesn’t matter what you create, creation will always be a vulnerable exercise. Thus anyone who creates or develops something needs to make peace with this fact:
Nothing you make will ever be perfect. Nothing you create will ever be perfect forever [Click to Tweet]
There is never a shortage of opinion. Never. Neither is it easy to hear people say your work and efforts are nothing but dung. Some will compliment with a “but”. Your product is great, but…
(Just me: I always wait of the “but” at every compliment giving… sometimes I just fail to accept compliments until someone finishes without saying “but”)
I’m not suggesting we people never tell you what you could do better. All I’m saying is you will hear about what’s not working well in your ‘product’. The default of many is looking for what is wrong and not what is great about something.
Do
Create stuff and do it to the best of your ability. Whatever you do will always be in need of some improvement. Dare to be vulnerable; first by building your ‘product’ and second, by hearing users out. It will sting. Hurt. However, nothing will hurt more than not creating.
Not Doing
Nothing hurts more than the regret of not trying. Dare and let it hurt when you’re told how crappy your work is. You’re better for trying. Not just cliché, but you actually get better for trying. You learn that building imperfect things doesn’t kill. (Unless of course you were one of those guys who tried to build a plane and ran off a cliff, falling to your death…)
Rather a life of scars and a content heart, that an unscathed face with regret-laden heart. You bear a part of your soul. We get naked as we write, build apps, paint, draw, build and so on, but rather that being a coward. The essence of this important reminder for creators:
Make stuff, and keep making it better…
Here’s to those who dare ;-) Start.