Rework – Remixed

Inspiration is perishable
We all have ideas. Ideas are immortal. They last forever. What doesn’t last forever is inspiration. Inspiration is like fresh fruit or milk: It has an expiration date. If you want to do something, you’ve got to do it now. You can’t put it on a shelf and wait two months to get around to it. You can’t just say you’ll do it later. Later, you won’t be pumped up about it any more.
If you’re inspired on a Friday, swear off the weekend and dive into the project. Inspiration is a magical thing, a productivity multiplier. But it won’t wait for you. If it grabs you, grab it right back and put it to work.

Scratch your own itch
Make something that you want to use. That lets you design what you know – and you’ll figure out immediately whether or not what you’re making is any good. This approach lets you fall in love with what you’re making. You know the problem and the value of its solution intimately. There’s no substitution for that. After all, you’ll (hopefully) be working on this for a long time. It better be something you really care about.

Start making something
Until you start making something, your brilliant idea is just that, an idea. And everyone’s got one of those. Stanley Kubrick gave this advice to aspiring filmmakers: “Get a hold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all.” Kubrick knew when you’re new at something, you need to start creating. The most important thing is to begin. So get a camera, hit Record, and start shooting.

Time is no excuse
The most common excuse people give: “There’s not enough time.” Come on. There’s always enough time if you spend it right. And don’t think you have to quit your day job either. Instead of watching TV or playing World of Warcraft, work on your idea. Instead of going to bed at ten, go to bed at eleven. Just squeeze a few extra hours a week. That’s enough to get something going. Once you do that, you’ll learn whether your excitement and interest is real or just a passing phase.

When you want something bad enough, you make the time – regardless of your other obligations. The truth is most people don’t want it bad enough. Then they protect their ego with the excuse of time. Don’t let yourself of the hook with excuses. It’s entirely your responsibility to make your dreams come true.
Besides, the perfect time never arrives. You’re always too young or old or busy or broke or something else. If you constantly fret about timing things perfectly, they’ll never happen.

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