creative paralysis

True story:

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past 10+ years writing emails, ads, sales pages, and more…

And generating millions of dollars in sales for clients…

It’s this:

Done beats perfect.

Especially when it comes to email.

In fact, it’s one of the best parts of sending daily emails.

Every day is a blank canvas.

Which inherently lowers the stakes on any given day.

So it doesn’t really matter if there’s a typo…

Or if a better subject line comes to you…

Or if you think of a better way to phrase the call to action…

Once you press send, it’s out of your hands.

And there’s something beautifully zen about that.

Which I firmly believe has played an outsize role in my success as a writer.

It taught me the value of moving fast…

And that you don’t need polish to prove an idea will resonate.

It also explains why I’ve watched so many other talented people I know fail to achieve lift off with their creative ideas…

Because they can’t bring themselves to publish imperfection.

Or bear to look foolish in front of their peers.

WHO CARES!

If you want the money, freedom, and validation that comes with being a successful writer or entrepreneur…

You’ve gotta stop dreaming and get over yourself.

Anyhow, as I said, I’ve always been proud of my own ability to do that…

Perhaps a little TOO proud, as it turns out lol

Because my foray into building software over the past few months has triggered a major relapse.

For instance:

I wouldn’t think twice about a misplaced comma, yet lately I’ve been agonizing for hours over how this button looks or what that label says.

No joke.

I'm talking about stuff that has literally zero impact on whether the product works or whether people get results from it.

Color choices…

Spacing between elements…

Whether a particular word in the UI felt "right" to me...

(it did NOT feel right for the record, lol)

There’s a sense of stickiness and permanence with software..

Knowing that people are using it every single day…

That makes it SO much harder to let these little things go.

But I am constantly reminding myself that I have to.

Otherwise, I’ll never get the damn thing working the way I envision it.

Anyway, moral of the story is:

Stepping into a new arena means passing new tests.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer learning a new medium…

Or a first-timer who’s been stuck ‘perfecting’ something for way too long…

The fix is always the same:

Hit send and move on.

Figure out the rest as you go.

That’s all I got for ya today though :)

Jim Hamilton

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