The creative process is not linear.

Idea → Make → Finish

No, my friends, it does not work like that. No matter how good your ideas are, no matter how superior your making skills, no matter how much focus, practice, resources, time, or magic incantations you speak, the process is far more convoluted.

Sure, experience helps. (That’s why it’s so important to learn by doing.)

But it’s so important to remember every new idea will need to go through the same process of refinement. There will be prototypes, trials, and “that didn’t work” moments. 

And every time something doesn’t work, you learn something. Pay attention to the lessons. They are invaluable and absolutely your best teacher.

The creative process is more like this.

Idea → Start → Adjust → Restart → Realize → Readjust → Swear → Evaluate → Think → Revise → Lose Hope → Sleep on it → Restart → Half Smile → Ask → Try Something → Maybe → Get Excited → Change Something … Repeat for Weeks or Years … → Success

All of those steps, stops, starts, and trials are not failures. This doesn’t mean you screwed up or failed or are a loser or suck at this.

This. Is. How. It. Works. 

Get back in there!