​

Creative work is never finished. It can weigh on you even when you're at home, with friends, or... in the middle of the night.

This week, three ideas about making creative work more manageable.

One to help you be brave.

One to help you focus.

One to help you be brilliant.

Brave: Reversible and Irreversible Decisions

With the uncertainty that leaders face, it's easy to slip into a kind of analysis paralysis. We defer decisions because we need "more information", and "more input from leadership", or some other reason. However, it's important to recognize that not all decisions should be given the same weight.

Jeff Bezos considers decisions like doors. Some are one-way, and some are two-way. As Shane Parrish described on Farnam Street:

So, as you consider the important decisions in front of you, which are reversible and which are irreversible? To be brave, don't take too much time fretting over a decision that can be undone.

Where might you be paralyzed on a decision right now? Is it reversible or irreversible?

Focused: Are You Ever... Finished?

How often do you reach a point at the end of your day where you feel finished? The sense that you're never really finished is one that plagues many creative pros and leaders. There's always something more to do. Something more to tweak. Another email to send. Another conversation to have.

Dr David Maloney addresses this in a recent video.

The reason we never feel finished is because we set big, ambitious goals for the mid-term rather than reasonable, achievable goals in the short-term.

Do you struggle with a sense that you're never finished with your work??

Brilliant: Make Education Lifelong

In my book The Accidental Creative I wrote about a practice called Unnecessary Creating. This involve making things, being creative, or exercising innovative thought in ways that aren't being judged, that you aren't being paid for, and that - perhaps - no one is even watching. This allows you to develop new skills in a relatively low-risk environment.

In an article in the Wall Street Journal, Veronica Dagher tags this "lifelong learning":

Engaging in unnecessary creating allows you to develop skills in a low-risk way that you can later apply to your on-demand work.

What unnecessary creating could you do this week?

This Week:

• Identify whether your big decisions are reversible or irreversible.
• Set reasonable daily markers for your work.
• Engage in unnecessary creating.

And, finally:

If you enjoyed this newsletter, my new book The Brave Habit is a practical guide to making brave decisions every day in your work. I hope you’ll read it. (You can download a few sample chapters here.)

Your turn to lead:

Do you know someone who might find this email helpful? Please forward it to them.

​ Todd Henry teaches leaders and teams how to be brave, focused, and brilliant. He is the author of seven books, and speaks internationally on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. ​TODDHENRY.COM​ ​​

​