Repair Log 004: Start now. Later can wait.
You can either wish you started sooner, or just start now.
I got tired of wishing I had started sooner. So I started in September, and once I did I’ve been seeing more benefits than negatives.
The biggest one is Community.
I knew others were trying to build things online, but I never interacted with them. Interacting with other creators is a major reason why I’m still creating. Talking to people with the same issues as you is invaluable. Meeting others at varying levels of success has shown me this isn’t as complicated as we make it out to be.
I've been doing this since September (3 months ago) and there are 3 basic themes I’ve learned when it comes to creating online.
- No one cares
- Consistency is key
- Have a goal
I keep reminding myself of these three things when I’m creating stuff.
Now, a big part of creation is taking individual ideas and expressing them through different mediums.
These are some rules I've started following to get an idea out quickly.
Research ideas to come up with the purpose of the project:
You want to know what you're making and why it's going to exist. This will guide you throughout the whole process. Make sure you give yourself a limit on how much time you'll spend on research. This is the most dangerous step, because if you're not careful you'll get stuck here.
That can look like:
•1 hour of research
•Limit of 3 Youtube Videos
The idea is to get inspiration, and get something to push towards so you can get moving.
Figure out the BARE minimum gear you need to start:
NO you don’t need professional grade ANYTHING. You have no idea whether you’ll enjoy doing this or not. If you have the things required to start then you’re already ahead. I wanted to make cinematic videos, but since I was by myself I realized a Tripod would be a good buy. So I bought a tripod, downloaded free editing software, and have been shooting video with my phone.
Write out the tasks you need to complete the project:
Giving yourself clear tasks lets you know you are moving in the right direction. There’s nothing worse than starting something new and feeling lost all the time. Using the information you learned from the other steps, you should have a good idea of how to move forward. Use that knowledge and make a plan, so that it can lead you from the beginning to the end of the project.
Finally go DO IT
That's it, just do it. You know what you want to do, what you need to do, and how to do it.
If you end up getting stuck, you can go and research a solution for THAT STEP, and then once you get a solution you keep going. Don't get stuck in research hell.
All you want to do is reduce time from Idea to Iteration.
That concludes the list, but here are some people to follow coming up.
Here’s a few creators that have been invaluable for me.
Ali Abdaal: Doctor -> Creator.
Dan Koe: Brand advisor-> Consultant-> Creator
Hope they help you as much as they have helped me.
Thanks for Reading- OG