no way but through
essay
no way but through
zero to one work is soul exposing.
you’re making something out of nothing, then dragging it into reality by force of will while everything around you & sometimes even yourself telling you it’s dumb, or pointless.
Getting out in the fresh air, experiencing the world at another species' pace, and walking in companionable silence are healthy activities, but not automatically creative ones. I need to have just been working, to still have a problem echoing in my mind, in order to have a moment of insight.
Big ideas don’t show up fully formed, standing in our path. They need to be coaxed unto the open through persistent inquiry and exploration.