#122 The perishable skill
Prefer to listen to this week’s episode? Go here: NFTF the Podcast
Happy Monday, everyone.
Last week I jumped back into several marketing execution activities like copy, UX, creative direction, and research to name a few —— the kind I used to do as a freelancer and when Honestly was just me and a few friends.
Over the weekend while reflecting on my week, two things became very apparent.
- I’m out of practice.
- “Tradecraft” are perishable skills.
While I’m still relevant and on point leading folks doing the work, I’m out of practice doing it myself. Therefore it takes longer to get in the flow and requires more revisions to produce the quality I want.
It made me think about The Gap.
When you’re a novice, the gap between your taste (knowing what good work looks like) and your ability to produce it, is wide. Over time, as your skills develop, you shorten the gap. As long as you keep learning and pushing yourself, the gap never closes but it does get smaller and smaller.
Unfortunately, if you stop working on and in your craft, that gap begins to widen again, except at double the rate because your taste and standards for quality have likely increased as well.
This is the internal struggle I’m battling. Right now, my work is not where it needs to be. But it will get there. I just need to keep showing up.
One to Ponder
- Seems like a good way to practice anything - How I practice piano
One to Enjoy
- One of my favorite “bands for summer” has a new single. Check out this new one from Bad Suns - “Heaven is a Place in My Head”
Until next time, friends.
-David