Approaching great work is an extremely challenging task, especially when it comes to artistic endeavors. This challenge will confront you at the start of a project, during the project, and even at its completion (and if you‘re truly dedicated, it may follow you beyond the project‘s end). This leads us to the fundamental question: How do we approach great work? I use the word "great" deliberately because there‘s little point in striving for work that isn‘t.

Let’s begin by defining what great work is. This is actually a more difficult question than it seems (and no, this isn‘t a rabbit hole). The most abstract human answer is that great work moves a conversation forward. Which conversation is being moved forward is subjective, and so is where we start.

With this abstract definition, we are left with two perspectives on great work:
(1) From a grand perspective, great work is never truly finished.
(2) From a granular perspective, great work consists of small, visible steps of progress, no matter how minor.
Thus, while work may never be fully complete, our focus is on making at least small advancements.

Returning to our original question: How do we approach great work? We know that work is never truly finished, and we must at least aim to achieve small steps of progress. The only viable solution is to create a loop — a repeated process until a condition changes or no more repetitions are necessary.

The most common loop is quite simple: idea, plan, execution, reflection, and repeat. Each failure within the loop helps us move the conversation forward by showing us what not to do, while each success allows us to make progress.

While this approach sounds straightforward, it‘s designed for problems that aren‘t clearly defined. If the problem were clear, we would already have a solution, and reflection wouldn‘t be needed.

Additionally, this approach doesn‘t specify how many loops are required for success. If the selection of steps is random, then the time to success is also random. This creates an environment that can be frustrating and difficult, though it may also be the fairest workplace we can find in life.

Ultimately, great work can only be approached through continuous loops, given its never-ending nature. Or, to put it in people terms, great work can only be approached through culture. To put it in person terms it becomes extremely hard.

The best I‘ve seen the process refined is the following: idea >> plan >> execution >> review.
Ideas (the crazy voices in your head), can be refined to you imagination (built by what you‘ve learnt (experienced/practised)), Planning can be refined to your vision (aspiration and ego (healthy ego is good)), Execution to self-control and luck, and review to how fast you can and want to recover (where most people don‘t make it out). Work should never finished (or else you‘ll be unemployed), but you‘ll know you‘re making progress when the problems are either getting harder or better (they‘re no longer complaining about the same things).


I leave you with four actions that I am trying to implement:
(1): Always ask what else you can do?
(2): When trying to achieve timing look at how selection/resources/attitudes will change. When they change is when good timing exists.
(2): Seperate easy tasks and hard tasks so that you can adapt to your energy and temperment.
(3): When in a group, trust the group to make innovations. You‘ll know you trust them when they either come to you or you see them struggling, and you ask them, "what can I do to help?".

I hope this has been helpful.