But I would like to add, that criticism can be constructive and affirming. ”Yes and” is also criticism, but it extends. “Yes but” affirms some of it. “Actually yes, but it’s more subtle than that.....” is also constructive, if the subtlety is explained. Affirmation of “this is great!” isn’t actually all that rewarding. After all, you as the author already knew that. Also beware of wrong assuming as negativity what is actually blablabla nurture culture vs combat culture and so forth.…
Let’s talk about enthusiasm, though: Enthusiasm for any idea is fleeting. You might be enthusiastic about an idea when it just occurs to you and maybe you can tell the person who’s next to you at that moment and infect them with your enthusiasm, too. But thru the process of writing an idea down, you must put it into words. By creating an external representation, you get a clearer picture of it. Perhaps now you can see hidden flaws and subtleties.
Even if all that reflection doesn’t change your understanding, you habituated yourself to the idea, so it will lose its grip over your dopamine system. Or from a different perspective, you lose the ability to find it beautiful. Do you really own your idea, when you’re still enthusiastic about it, or does it own you? Wrong question, because you’re in playful exploration mode, where this is not a useful frame.
But writing things down when you’re still exploring it, is premature. Writing is best for when you’re sure about an idea and know its nuances, strengths, and weaknesses very well. An idea matures if you sleep over it. Ponder it. Reflect on it. Only then you can skillfully shape its presentation.
This is a problem of course. When you are most enthusiastic about something, you want to share it.
But..… I have written things, that I was enthusiastic about writing, but then later they weren’t well-written or well-argued. Sometimes you come back to your writing and it’s simply too verbose and in that spir
But I would like to add, that criticism can be constructive and affirming.
”Yes and” is also criticism, but it extends. “Yes but” affirms some of it. “Actually yes, but it’s more subtle than that.....” is also constructive, if the subtlety is explained.
Affirmation of “this is great!” isn’t actually all that rewarding.
After all, you as the author already knew that.
Also beware of wrong assuming as negativity what is actually blablabla nurture culture vs combat culture and so forth.…
Let’s talk about enthusiasm, though:
Enthusiasm for any idea is fleeting.
You might be enthusiastic about an idea when it just occurs to you and maybe you can tell the person who’s next to you at that moment and infect them with your enthusiasm, too.
But thru the process of writing an idea down, you must put it into words.
By creating an external representation, you get a clearer picture of it.
Perhaps now you can see hidden flaws and subtleties.
Even if all that reflection doesn’t change your understanding, you habituated yourself to the idea, so it will lose its grip over your dopamine system. Or from a different perspective, you lose the ability to find it beautiful.
Do you really own your idea, when you’re still enthusiastic about it, or does it own you?
Wrong question, because you’re in playful exploration mode, where this is not a useful frame.
But writing things down when you’re still exploring it, is premature.
Writing is best for when you’re sure about an idea and know its nuances, strengths, and weaknesses very well.
An idea matures if you sleep over it. Ponder it. Reflect on it.
Only then you can skillfully shape its presentation.
This is a problem of course. When you are most enthusiastic about something, you want to share it.
But..… I have written things, that I was enthusiastic about writing, but then later they weren’t well-written or well-argued. Sometimes you come back to your writing and it’s simply too verbose and in that spir