Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Seattle 2.0, and imported to GeekWire as part of our acquisition of Seattle 2.0 and its archival content. For more background, see this post.
By Alyssa Royse
We’ve all heard the phrase, and rolled our eyes accordingly,“you have to think outside the box.” It is usually uttered by a well-meaningcheerleader to a group of people who are stuck trying to solve a problem thatappears to have no palatable solutions. The problem is that the box isn’t theproblem. The problem is our excessive focus on the problem.
If you’ll allow me to get all metaphysical and touchy-feelyon you, I’m going to share with you an important bit ofinformation that will transform your life – without making you go to a bunch ofseminars, learn some secret language and start using the word “manifest” likesailors say “fuck.” Are you ready?
Your life, as you see it, is the sum total of what you chooseto look at.
Manifest that, sucka!
Needless to say, since your work is part of your life, thesame thing goes for your work. When we are buckled down in a dev crunch, orlaunch push or fundraising or any other seemingly intractable process or problem,we tend to get really stuck. When we get stuck, we sometimes double down ourenergies focusing on the problem at hand. Why the problem is occurring, how tosolve the problem, what it will take to prevent the problem, what otherproblems the problem might spawn. Problem, problem problem!
Suddenly, our one problem appears to be 20 problems, and allwe can see are problems. Even our attempts to find solutions are focused onproblems.
So, what do you do?
Take your problem, and all it’s little problem spawns, anddump it in the proverbial box. Then lock it in the proverbial closet and getthe hell out. That’s right, stop working on it, step away from the problem andnobody will get hurt.
Think about what kinds of things you need in order to beable to create a positive outcome, and focus on those things instead. Do youneed to be creative? Do you need to feel successful? Do you need that feelingof building something as a team? Do you need to know that there is a largerpurpose and appreciation for what you have to offer? Do you just need that feeling of momentum?
What is the missing energy that you need to get you throughthis next stage, to inspire you? And what can you do to get it?
Since this is an impossibly diverse community, I’ll share astory of my own instead.
I’m having an intellectual affair of sorts. I stumbled into(okay, maybe manifested) a hot little piece of opportunity to do the one thingthat I have always (somewhat secretly) wanted to do, which is writescreenplays. A real one, that real people are waiting for. Things were goingfine and the screenplay was pouring out of me, I was high on the potential(planning what to wear to accept my Academy Award and everything.) And then Igot stuck. It’s too big, too many characters, too hard, too much pressure, tooexpensive too……
I realized that the more I thought about the project, themore mired in muck I got. So I started looking for ways to write freely, getmomentum, have fun, and feel that sense of completion. The answer? While I lovemy 120-page screenplay and will stay loyal to it until it reaches it’spotential, I’ve been romping around with a series of 7-page screenplays. Nomore than one hour a day, no more than 7 pages, doesn’t matter what they’reabout. And they have loosened my juices, refueled my energy, reminded me howtalented and creative I am, and how good it feels to finish something. Exactlywhat I needed to keep going.
It was only stepping away from my problem and focusing on mystrengths and energies that I was able to go back to the bigger project andgive it what it deserves. Which brings me to super secret number two, and it’sjust as important.
Being selfless is stupid. Being a bit selfish is ineveryone’s best interest.
If you work yourself to depletion without refueling yourmind, body and soul, then all you have accomplished is draining a resource thateveryone values – you. You have a responsibility – to everyone – to keepyourself as vital as possible in order to keep being productive.
That means taking the time to NOT work, not focus on yourproblems and to do things just because they feel good. That will almost alwaysgive you the energy you need to keep going.
How does this apply to a struggling tech startup? Well,figure out what your 7-page screenplay is. Use your amazing team to build a widget that is purely sillyand fun. Or a web site that serves no purpose but allows you to be as wild andcreative as you want. Think of a fun way to use the skills that you need“rebooted” in order to accomplish your goals – solve your problem.
But don’t think about your problem.
I’m fairly sure that this is the idea behind all those sillyoff-site bonding exercises that people have – the ones in which you fallbackwards into each others arms as a trust exercise, or run on ziplines toaddress fears. Whatever, all that really does is waste time and money.
While you do need to get out and stop focusing on theproblem, you need to find ways to actually use, develop and energize the skillsthat will be needed to get your company to the next level.
In my case, writing pointless little screenplays loosened meup to write the big one.
What is it for you?
I am tempted to use this as a metaphor for life and loveadvice, since last week’s post got huge response. But, frankly…. Oh, who am Ikidding, I can’t resist.
Most of our lives are really great, and we don’t notice it.We all focus on the things that worry and stress us out – which is why we areall worried and stressed out. Stop it. Now. Look at all the amazing things thatmake you happy and think about the cool things ahead of you and focus on them.Suddenly your life will seem filled with happiness and amazing potential. Why?Because your life, as you see it, is the sum total of what you choose to look at.Are you feeling stuck because you’re not doing enough of the things that makeyou happy? Here’s an idea for you – go do them!
