I’m with you, Ian, except I would refrain from using the term “waste.” That’s a glass half empty point of view. I prefer the glass half full mindset.
I associate “waste” with negative words such as unuseful, subtractive, an exercise of poor judgement, and failure. I prefer to consider such episodes as “drafts.” “Waste” lacks the optimistic view that the commitment of time to such activity represents a positive effort. When we write music that goes nowhere even after several iterations of trial and error, embarking on a new piece is really the next forward step. Hopefully, we learn something in the process of composing drafts. Over time, we get better at the craft. If that’s the case, then we don’t start all over again at the beginning but rather we move ahead from where we left off. Scientists didn’t waste their time studying dead end possibilities - those results go with the territory; the scientists simply narrowed the field of potential cures to more productive ones.
It’s a great point! Makes sense. I think I like the word “waste” simply because it takes the pressure off for me. I don’t even need to make drafts. I can just embrace the idea of open exploration without intention, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need!
I think we really just need to reorganise our definitions as to what is "waste" and what is not, letting all "productivity" aside.
One quote from Doctor Who that keeps following me is "always waste time when you don't have any". And the thing is, objectively, we never have any time. Our life is fleeting. At some point of my life I realised that I bought a bunch of expensive incense and perfume, and rarely use it, because it's "for special occasion". But recently, I'm thinking more and more: "I might be dead tomorrow. Don't save joys for some unclear future".
So, I guess, what I'm trying to say, is: If you ask me, always waste time on things that give you joy, that connect you more to the now, that make you feel more alive.
The goal is not to get to the end of the track, but to listen to it. To live and expand with it. It's transitive, not "productive". If you rush through in your creative process, you miss so many things. Get curious. Get bored. Notice things. Listen. Until you find out what you really want to say - at least, I personally rarely do in the beginning of a creative process. Or, better said: until you find out what is speaking to you. I notice with my own process that when the "time is right" (hah), the actual work comes with ease.
So yeah, yay to wasting time in creative processes!
I’m with you, Ian, except I would refrain from using the term “waste.” That’s a glass half empty point of view. I prefer the glass half full mindset.
I associate “waste” with negative words such as unuseful, subtractive, an exercise of poor judgement, and failure. I prefer to consider such episodes as “drafts.” “Waste” lacks the optimistic view that the commitment of time to such activity represents a positive effort. When we write music that goes nowhere even after several iterations of trial and error, embarking on a new piece is really the next forward step. Hopefully, we learn something in the process of composing drafts. Over time, we get better at the craft. If that’s the case, then we don’t start all over again at the beginning but rather we move ahead from where we left off. Scientists didn’t waste their time studying dead end possibilities - those results go with the territory; the scientists simply narrowed the field of potential cures to more productive ones.
It’s a great point! Makes sense. I think I like the word “waste” simply because it takes the pressure off for me. I don’t even need to make drafts. I can just embrace the idea of open exploration without intention, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need!
Love this
I think we really just need to reorganise our definitions as to what is "waste" and what is not, letting all "productivity" aside.
One quote from Doctor Who that keeps following me is "always waste time when you don't have any". And the thing is, objectively, we never have any time. Our life is fleeting. At some point of my life I realised that I bought a bunch of expensive incense and perfume, and rarely use it, because it's "for special occasion". But recently, I'm thinking more and more: "I might be dead tomorrow. Don't save joys for some unclear future".
So, I guess, what I'm trying to say, is: If you ask me, always waste time on things that give you joy, that connect you more to the now, that make you feel more alive.
The goal is not to get to the end of the track, but to listen to it. To live and expand with it. It's transitive, not "productive". If you rush through in your creative process, you miss so many things. Get curious. Get bored. Notice things. Listen. Until you find out what you really want to say - at least, I personally rarely do in the beginning of a creative process. Or, better said: until you find out what is speaking to you. I notice with my own process that when the "time is right" (hah), the actual work comes with ease.
So yeah, yay to wasting time in creative processes!