Reckless Simplicity

"Start where you are, use what you have"

person A: "I could have done that"
person B: "yeah, but you didn't"

It's much easier to improve something that exists, than something that doesn't.
Rather, you can't improve what doesn't exist and getting into existence is a task that should be approached without too much scrutiny.
Or without any scrutiny. I can already feel my mind fizzing with all kinds of hypothetical arguments justifying why it's good to stop a creation before its genesis. If a bad idea is going to end up in the cosmic scrapheap, then surely it's more efficient to skip the midstep of materialisation and stop it before it sees the light of day??
In a meta-way even that last thought almost didn't make it out into this piece for the same reasoning.
Yes it's a bad take that makes me cringe somewhat, but there's value in seeing it "out loud" to consider it before discarding it. There's value in flexing the muscle of getting it out fully. Once it's out, it's easier to be clear about why it's ugly. Importantly, there's space to consider if there's more value than initially bargained for.

In pursuit of creating more and putting it "out there" I'm favouring a reckless simplicity.

Get it out first, via the lowest friction (although easily reversible) means possible. Then I can switch hats at a later moment for critique or improvement or revision of approach.
Specifically for this writing momentum: I'm setting a 10 minute timer, letting thoughts flow, and only editing after there's substance to work with that's out of my head.
I also chose the Listed platform because I'm already a keen user of Standard Notes so there was minimal friction to publishing a post. Importantly, I realised I can easily reverse or tweak that decision later - maybe I'll want to add more bells and whistles or host the content myself.

It only feels reckless to the part of me that's nervous about starting the wrong things or stepping in the wrong direction at the risk of some sense of shame over not picking the best option first time. That inclination can and has served me well at times, but it's time to reign it in where it's doing more harm than good.

Thematically, this monologue feels like a re-exploration of the adage "don't let perfect be the enemy of good". That never really resonated with me deeply because I often felt that if perfect was an attainable option, then why not reach for it? The audacity to reach for and grab perfection is something I attribute a lot of my most satisfying successes to. In fact, I'd say I more frequently live by the inverse:

"Don't let good be the enemy of perfect"

Seems to rhyme with the more sporty phrase of "you miss 100% of the shots that you don't take".

However, it's a false premise - goodness and perfection are not mutually exclusive. Most endeavours can start terrible and then iterate towards something greater. Hence there's less to value in trying to begin with greatness. Instead that refinement energy is better channeled towards getting something, anything out first and fast. The greatness can come later.
I.e. Fire then aim, don't aim then fire.