I recently pulled up some of my old work to re-read, either because the ideas came up in conversation or were related to something that I was thinking about or feeling. They were great reminders for me, and maybe they’ll be helpful for you too:

The work needs to be enough: A creative manifesto: “To compare our journeys with theirs is a recipe for disaster. We feel like it’s our fault we’re not as popular or successful yet, that not as many people care about us and our work yet.”

Cold-blooded creative work: “If you’re working in partnership with other people, your work will need to adapt the properties of a warm-blooded animal. You and your representatives need constant motion in order for your creative work to see the light of day. You need to constantly inject new energy into your work, and maintain relationships for the work to grow.”

Comparing vs. referencing: “Whether you use the word, “Comparison,” or “Reference,” whenever you focus on the craft, and learning, it’s always a good thing. It’s always good to see how other people are doing things and getting out of your own head or myopia.”

David Chang on the long, hard, stupid way: “In a world where 600 words are one click of a button and a prompt away, writing a blog post—in 2024 at that!—sounds pretty stupid. I write it because I think it will help me with all of the non-writing parts of writing.”

Foundation first: “One philosophy or heuristic I have been drawn to recently is to prioritize foundational activities.”