On Experiments + Tests
Newsletter + On This Day
Like most independent creatives and small business owners, I regularly pretend my studio is Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory and try some new-to-me tips and tricks I’ve recently heard about.
Sometimes my experiments and tests work. Often they don’t.
Yesterday, out of three experiments/tests I did, only one is what I’d consider a success.
But that doesn’t mean the other two aren’t important too.
“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
Thomas Edison
The process of getting outside my comfort zone regularly helps me see things from a different perspective. It forces me to think creatively, adapt, and learn—skills that I carry into everything else I do.
Even when things don't go as planned, I gain new knowledge that I can apply in future projects. In fact, some of my most rewarding creative breakthroughs have come after what felt like failures. The unexpected results push me to tweak, adjust, and keep going until I hit something that “feels” right.
Whether I’m adding new work on the Shop, writing a new post on Substack, or posting a new montage on YouTube, I’m always learning something new. Maybe not entirely new, but approaching old problems in new ways often triggers…inspiration.
Creativity, much to my chagrin, isn’t a linear process and isn’t about doing things perfectly the first time. No matter how hard I try and/or want my work to be perfect, the truth is we human beings are far from perfect. And so is our work.
There’s much beauty (and humanity) to be found in our imperfections.
For me, the challenge is allowing myself the freedom to experiment, fail, and grow in the process. When I’m willing to embrace that principle—and able to ignore my OCD, perfectionist tendencies—the journey can be just as fulfilling as the final product.
So, if you’re feeling stuck or frustrated, please keep this in mind: Every experiment, even the ones that seem like failures, can move you forward.
Personally, I’m determined to keep testing, keep trying, and keep trusting that every misstep is a step toward something better. So I do my best to make friends with my perfectly-imperfect creations and curations. And my mostly-friendly monsters too.
Thanks for reading!
Clint
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HILDA DOOLITTLE (1886)
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EVENTS
Leopold and Loeb found guilty of the murder of Robert Franks in Chicago in the "the crime of the century" (1924)
A visit by anti-gay Anita Bryant to London, Ontario, sparks a protest demonstration outside London Gardens Coliseum. (1978)
Gays of Ottawa (GO) celebrates its tenth anniversary with the official opening of a community center at 175 Lisgar Street. The reception is attended by mayor Marion Dewar, Gordon Fairweather, head of Canadian Human Rights Commission, and MPP Michael Cassidy, leader of the Ontario provincial New Democratic Party. (1981)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premieres on NBC. (1990)
Nirvana release Smells like Teen Spirit, often dubbed the anthem of Gen X. (1991)
The X-Files, created by Chris Carter and starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, premieres on Fox. (1993)
The U.S. Senate thrashes GLBT civil rights twice in one day, passing the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, denying the right to federally recognized marriages to same sex couples. The Senate also defeats the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which would have barred job discrimination based on sexual orientation. (1997)
In Du Toit v Minister of Welfare and Population Development, the Constitutional Court of South Africa rules that same-sex couples must be allowed to adopt children jointly. (2002)
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