I once read this great blogpost that used the analogy of keeping your inventory low. The author used inventory as an metaphor for things that you’re currently waiting on, the preconditions that need to be fulfilled before you act. For example, I want to hear about back this job before I apply for others. Or I need to lose weight before I wear this dress. Or, I need to have closure from my crush before I can move on and start dating other people. To be clear, sometimes the preconditions are real, but often they aren’t and you don’t actually need to wait for X to happen before you do Y. One way of keeping inventory low is to set self-imposed deadlines: if I don’t hear back in a week, I move on. Or you could just decide that the precondition doesn’t really matter.

1 – Show up. Many work sessions will feel unproductive which can feel frustrating, but the best creatives sit down to work even when they don't feel like it. Consistency rewards creativity.

2 – Generate a ton of ideas. Your best ideas rarely come early. So when you think you've got it, keep going.

3 – Refine the good ones. If you find yourself over-explaining, it's likely too difficult to digest. The best ideas are simple and easy to understand.

4 – Share the best ones. The potential for criticism forces you to pay attention to the details, and naturally encourages you to improve.