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    #117 The quest for (average) ideas

    Talking about “good and bad ideas” implies a ranking. Good, compared to what? Bad, compared to what?

    The truth is that most ideas you produce will be average – because there is no other way.

    Not all ideas can be your best idea – and if they are, they will soon be replaced by a better idea. Your previous best idea has now become average.

    Not all ideas can be your worst idea either. And if they are, they will soon be replaced by an even worse idea. Your worst idea has now become average.

    This dynamic matters. Because if you produce an idea a day, compared to someone producing one idea a month, your chances of replacing your current best idea with something better are much higher.

    You’ll also likely replace your current worst idea with something even worse – and that’s fine. You’re increasing amplitude in both directions. It’s all part of the practice.

    The more ideas you have, the bigger your sample size. The more elaborate the ranking. The better the good ideas. The worse the bad ideas.

    All this to say: bad, average, and good ideas ALL stack the odds of striking gold in your favor. What matters is that you show up and generate ideas.

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    #184 Why bad work is necessary

    Every day in which I write, I build my body of work.

    As I build my body of work, I also build a hierarchy of quality.

    Because every day, my writing will be slightly better or worse than the day before.

    That means that the more I write, comparatively, the more good writing I’ll do.

    It also means that the more I write, comparatively, the more bad writing I do.

    Both are necessary.

    Good writing, to feel progress.

    Bad writing, to know what good writing looks and feels like in the first place.

    It’s all part of the process.

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