One Apple A Day #919 - the zone
Let's make it a bit more challenging this morning.
Let's write the daily apple in 10 minutes.
Having a constraint can be an incredibly creative booster. It forces me to make a choice, to focus on one idea and make it work.
I don't have the time to fiddle through possibilities and half ideas, to search for inspirations. I have to go straight to the point.
I have to write something before time runs out.
However, over the years, I've learned that there is a delicate balance to find.
If the constraint is too tight, it creates stress and blocks my creativity.
You've probably seen a diagram like the following one.
To get in the flow zone, the zone of maximum performance, you have to find the right balance between your abilities and the challenge's difficulty. It perfectly applies to constraints. Too tight, and you'll create anxiety. To lose, and you'll waste time.
Or to risk and safety. If something is too risky, it will become dangerous, and fear will paralyse you. If you play too safe, you may get nowhere.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect recipe.
That balance isn't one-size-fits-all.
It's unique. And to make things even more complicated, it varies over time and depending on the context.
To find the balance that gets the best out of you, you must learn to listen to yourself.