Bringing a Great Idea to Fruition

Why it's so hard to finish what we start.

Sunrise III by Arthur Garfield, 1936

When people think about creativity, they usually think about ideas: the generation of lots of ideas that are new and outside-the-box. But if you agree with Rick Rubin, that "to create is to bring something into existence that wasn't there before," you believe that creating also involves taking at least a few of your brilliant ideas and putting them into action.

Whether you're solving a complex problem, building a project, or making a piece of work (artistic or not), the execution of an idea can be hard, even painful. And it often feels like the opposite of creative. Why is it so challenging to take an idea and make it into something concrete and real?

Moonlight by Ralph Albert Blakelock, 1888

The Challenges of Crafting an Idea into a Reality

In all of my artist coaching groups, we talk about the lifecycle of creative projects and the ups and downs of that journey. Rick Rubin's book The Creative Act adds a fresh take on how to move from the idea stage (Seeding and Experimenting) to the doing stage (Crafting and Finishing).

1. It takes commitment.

   In order to give one project our focused attention, we need to turn away from other great ideas and commit to one. In Rubin's words, "For now, we need to look away from the open field and turn upward a winding staircase a hundred stories tall." During this worthwhile yet precarious climb, our initial passion for the idea may fade once we're in the midst of the making.

2. The reality never lives up to the dream.

   When we take our lofty ideas and use our very human and limited skills to express them, there will inevitably be a gap between the dream and the reality. We're always aspiring to reach higher levels. Even if some of us have masterful technical ability, other limits in time and resources will get in the way. On the flip side, the physical act of making will reveal our imperfect humanness, which is likely to be the most beautiful and relatable aspects of the work.

   
   

3. Finishing requires a huge supply of patience. Editing. Rehearsing. Reworking. Starting over. All these actions can wear us down and make us feel like we're doing more paring and tearing down than building. If we can embrace this as normal and not a sign of trouble and somehow enjoy the messiness of it, we can move through it without giving up. And remember that it almost always takes longer than we want or expect.

Moonrise by George Inness, 1887

Tips for Getting to the Finish Line

Whether you're writing a song, creating a business plan, or preparing a course, here are a few things to keep in mind while you're working:

1. Keep your intention in view.

   Your work will end up much different than your initial idea, and the finished project will end up surprising you! That's the nature of creating. Nonetheless, hold on loosely to your original idea and all the excitement you had when it first burst onto the scene of your mind.

2. Work around your blocks.

   If you reach a point where you don't know what to do next, leave a question mark in that space and work on the ending. Then you can reverse-engineer back to that trouble spot. There's no rule that says that you have to work in linear fashion.

   
   

3. Set deadlines that will motivate you (not undermine you).

   Many creatives do well with a deadline and believe that they work best under pressure. However, if deadlines are set too early in the process, they end up cramping and compromising the true promise of the work. They can also lead to blocks that sap our incentive. Use deadlines that will motivate you, once the end point is nearly in sight - not sooner than that.

Beethoven with Two Hands by Emile-Antoine Bourdelle, 1908

Some people are experimenters and struggle to finish projects. Others love to finish things and pay attention to the detail of craft. It's important to know where you stand on this spectrum and invite collaborators into the process accordingly. Look for people who can bring their complementary skills into your project. It may even be worth paying for their services, to see your vision realized and reduce the stress of the struggle. There's no reason to go it alone!

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Resources:

Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Eric Maisel, Fearless Creating: A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting and Finishing your Work

The Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT. The source of the beautiful works featured in this article.

The Thread by Edouard Vuillard, 1893