On 'selective excellence'
You can’t be and do all the things all the time
Last weekend, I did a little audit on my schedule and daily commitments. (Such fun, I know!) Both have been fuzzy as I figure out what Midnight Voice Memos is, and can be. It was time for an overhaul.
So, I spent some time thinking through what I want to achieve every day, and tested that schedule over the course of the week that just passed.
What I learned is that even though I put together what I view as a kind of a ‘bare minimum’ set of daily activities, I was still asking too much of myself to hit every single of them every single day. I simply don’t have the bandwidth, or energy.
It made me think of a term my sister coined about a decade ago: selective excellence. She was using it to describe being strategic about which corporate project work should get your 110% effort, but I think it applies here too.
You can’t be and do all the things all the time, and when you try you dilute your own secret sauce.
Applied to creative practice, selective excellence means focussing on doing the handful of things you do well, really well. It means homing in on the few elements that will make a particular piece of work sing gloriously and sending your effort in that direction. It means permission to let go of the rest.
This week, I share some steps you can take to bring the concept of selective excellence to your creative work and songwriting.
Big love and keep going!
Lucy
On selective excellent …
MEMO - Pinpoint superpowers
Ask yourself: what does this work need that I am also excellent at doing? Make a shortlist. At least to begin with, focus your efforts at that list. Maybe you have a song that needs a string arrangement and a slick beat, but you’re only great at one of those. Start with what you’re great at.
MEMO - Set parameters for imperfection
Decide in advance where you’re okay with leaving things unfinished or imperfect. For example, you might focus on perfecting the lyrical story, while keeping the production raw and spontaneous. This allows you to conserve energy and lets the imperfections add texture and authenticity.
MEMO - Practice selective revision
Instead of revising everything, once a draft is complete, focus on refining one or two key aspects that will have the most impact, such as tightening the rhythm or adding poetic depth to the lyrics. Let the rest stay as it is, preserving the spark of creativity without over-polishing it.
Let me know: Where might you benefit from some selective excellence in your work life or creative practice?