The Creative Perfectionist vs The MVP
How Transcending Our Perfectionist Archetype Will Us Realize Our True Potential
In tech, there’s a concept in application development called the MVP, or Minimum Viable Product.
It basically means creating the simplest version of an app or product with the minimal and most basic features necessary to validate the idea as useful to users in the marketplace.
The concept is very popular with startups and indie hackers so that they can get feedback on an idea as quickly as possible and make sure they don’t continue to invest time and money into something that nobody wants.
Once an MVP proves to have some traction and value to users, you then gather feedback on what it is they like and don’t like about the product and what additional features would be valuable to them.
In the process you receive important knowledge about the market and get the opportunity to fulfill the wants and needs of actual users who are willing to pay you to solve their problem(s).
All without spending valuable too much valuable time and energy guessing at what those users might want and need.
An MVP creates just the right amount of value to solve a problem and validate an idea.
Even if an idea isn’t successful, you end up learning a lot about the market and its users, knowledge you can take to your next project.
It is an essential approach when iterating ideas to try and find the one that will stick and turn into a viable and profitable business.
Even though I understand the concept and its value well, I still struggle to align with its principles in both indie hacking (tech) and, even more so, in creativity.
It’s something easier said than done, but awareness and discipline are key factors in staying on course and efficient.
Creative MVP
So, what is the creative version of an MVP?
I know what you’re thinking and I agree, I don’t like the word minimum being involved in describing my art.
Maybe a better acronym would be ADC: Acceptable Deliverable Creation.
Or SEA: Simplest Emotional Art
Or CEE: Core Effective Expression
We can work on the acronym, but I’m fascinated with the concept of focusing on the core effective expression that is contained in any piece of art.
If we reframe our perspective a bit and look at the basics of what art is and why we are truly creating it, then maybe we can come up with a solution.
At it’s simplest, art is an expression of thought and feeling that is manifested into a medium as a form of communication and connection with other people who resonate with the creation.
As much as we might argue, this doesn’t include the perfectionist polish from the latest tools or the countless hours spent on minute details of art, regardless of how much we justify it or think we are owed something for our effort.
Some of the best art can be extremely raw, and in that essence lies the vast majority of its power. The core of its efficacy to express and connect.
The rest of the effort certainly can contribute to style and a little to value, but it is just polish, it’s not the core of the intention.
Don’t get me wrong, as a life long perfectionist I’m not saying that meticulous detail and artistic differentiation found in toiling over the small bits don’t contribute to the whole, but let’s be honest with ourselves, it can often get in the way of the true essence of our creation.
If, like me, you’re finding that those “important” final details and polish are keeping you from completing the effort and releasing your work to the world, then those details aren’t an important piece, they’re actually a problem.
The first step to overcoming a problem is to admit you have one.
It’s tough to accept, but as the quote goes: a piece of art is never finished it is merely abandoned.
Copyrightable aspects of music, for instance, are melody and lyrics for a reason, those are the important, definable aspects.
The core elements of the expression that are responsible for the largest effect of uniqueness, connection and value.
Wouldn’t we be better off creating a hundred different core expressions than only a handful with all the polish and pain and diminishing returns bundled in?
If your goal is to revel in the process of creation and spend as much time just ruminating on various aspects because it feels good and makes you happy, that’s great! I really enjoy that aspect as well and often find it therapeutic when done with intention.
But when you desire and intend to move on to completion as part of a vision for a larger goal, then improvement must happen.
Creation Through Restriction
I’ve delayed the completion of songs so often because I wanted to learn a new synth, find the perfect guitar tone, or mix the percussion just a little better… I’m actually doing all those things right now with a bunch of songs! Ugh.
I eventually exhaust myself and then abandon the project out of frustration from the perceived feeling that I’m not making any progress.
The reason being, I keep adding work to my plate. Extending the runway so that I never take off.
And let’s be honest, obsessing over all those details is often a form of procrastination and the fear of finishing. At least I know that it is with me… terribly and regretfully so.
It feels like a safe space. We’re making “progress”, but not committing to anything so there is no chance of regretting the wrong decision.
And in the process, I let a lot of good ideas die.
I abandon the potential for new opportunities and connections and let them wither on the vine.
So, how do we find our way out of that loop?
There is ton to be said about creation through restriction. By far the most productive periods that I’ve experienced have come from imposing some kind of restriction on my goals and output.
The most obvious restriction that we know is that of time in the form of deadlines. Setting a timeline or time-boxing completion of your goals is extremely powerful.
A couple years ago I set out to write a song a day for 100 days.
I had a writing template of pre-chosen sounds, piano, bass, drum-kit and some strings / pads and that was it. I wasn’t allowed to change the sounds, because I wanted to focus on the writing not the sounds like I had so often gotten distracted with before.
It was extremely painful and not so fruitful at the start but after about a week I saw very noticeable progress and after a couple weeks I was turning out actual good ideas within a couple hours.
It was by far my biggest breakthrough in songwriting that I’ve ever had, and I still use that approach today when I want to kick start new song ideas.
The bonus is, each time you do it, you get a little better. Even after taking a break. It’s a cumulative effort, which to me is very encouraging.
It feels like I’m leveling up. Even though there is some pain at the beginning, I know I get a little better each time.
You might know of Parkinson’s Law which basically states that work will expand to fill the time allotted for its completion. Without hesitation, I will vouch for it’s accuracy based on far too much experience, lol.
Conversely, when we set time limits on our efforts, it tends to force us to consciously and subconsciously make critical decisions in a more timely manner to make progress toward finishing the goal.
If there is no time limit, then all decisions can be ruminated over indefinitely.
The same concept can be applied to choices of all kinds:
which synth preset to use
which guitar tone
which type of paint
have I covered every relevant topic in full breadth and detail in this article… 🤔
The farther we go down the decision spiral, the more we risk abandoning the original essence of our expression.
This is where the idea of flow state comes in as well. When we have restrictions, we’re forced to focus on the simple forms of what matters most. We can’t afford to veer off the path too far lest we miss the mark of our deadline and goal.
Calling back to the tech and business context, the more we obsess over a feature or offering the more risk in assumption we make as to what the user or customer actually wants. The best businesses listen to and accommodate their customers through feedback, the best artists connect and grow with their audiences.
None of that can be done if you never leave the lab.
Practice Finishing
Like so many things, finishing projects is a muscle that has to be worked to gain strength and control over it. Nothing beats experience, you have to put in the reps.
Many times I’ve reflected at how many songs I’ve started and how good I’ve become at getting new ideas for them. It’s because I’ve done that part hundreds of times.
Finishing songs though? A much smaller number.
And because of that lack of practice actually finishing, I’m not as good at the decisions and skills that it takes to do so. But it makes sense, I haven’t put in my time on that part, so its going to be more difficult. And that is the part most of us need to work on.
The fact is, there is much more to be gained from finishing and moving on to a new creation or project and continuing the cycle through to the next step of promotion, marketing and connection.
I know some of those are gross words in the context of creativity, but I include playing concerts, displaying your artwork in a gallery exhibit and launching your app to help thousands of users solve their problems in that category of marketing and promotion.
For me, I always loved the duality of music creation in that I got to be internally reflective as I wrote and created in the solitude of a “studio” and then got to fulfill the other side of my being by taking that music and playing shows to connect with people directly through energy and emotion derived from those creations.
Both sides of the equation are required to complete the whole.
One without the other doesn’t work.
Stepping back to consider the app building analogy and any project or goal really; any idea or effort without release and connection or usage is only ever theoretical. However great that theory may be in concept.
A hammer without a nail is only a piece of wood and metal.
If we never accept our projects as finished and release them into the world, then growth and improvement cannot realize their true potential.
The effort invested in perfectionism yields diminishing returns and the knowledge and value lost from feedback and iteration are an opportunity cost.
Transcending the Perfectionist Archetype and Avoiding Regret
I hesitate to be overly dramatic with the “dying regret” analogy, but to put it simply, would you rather endure a period of discomfort and vulnerability and know you were pushing your limits, or live with the realization that you wasted your vast potential due to the fear of judgment or the reluctance to release something imperfect into the world?
An ironic thing to consider, given how vastly imperfect this world and all the people in it actually are.
Imperfection is something to embrace. Life is messy, no one knows exactly where they’re going, but the journey and the unexpected stories are what make it so beautiful.
Art and expression should be a part of that story. Creation should be a part of that story.
I feel mixed emotions of inspiration and regret as I even type this, but I know its true.
I’ve always said that one of my biggest fears in life is wasted potential. And I have to admit that I’ve wasted a good amount due to the patterns of perfectionism described here.
The Perfectionist Archetype is present in all of us who have potential and passion. It is a part of who we are as creatives, driving us toward excellence but also potentially leaving us worn and empty.
It is a part of us that is to be transcended as part of our creative journey.
Beyond it likes The Authentic Creator, The Rebel and the Social Disruptor.
These are all archetypes inherent within us as multipotentialites as we traverse the path toward the higher version of ourselves.
The path is long, but the effort is so incredibly worth it.
We must create and continue on…
~ Michael
P.S.
While working with
on the Niche Creator app, he’s identified these archetypes (and a couple others) as part of a greater creative whole for us multi-passionate, neurodivergent types. Everyone has more of some than others, but understanding aspects of each (especially dominant ones), can help us in our progression.The Perfectionist is a huge part of my composition and as I’ve described, and conquering it is a huge obstacle that I know will lead to greater progression for me.
If you’re curious about what your dominant archetype is, you can take the quiz here:
P.P.S.
If you find any grammatical, spelling or coherency errors in the above entry, please forgive them as I am working to let go a bit and transcend my perfectionist archetype 😄
Exciting Tech of The Week
Tweet Detective
https://www.tweetdetective.com
This app represents a field that I think will continue to grow over the coming years, which is detection of AI content. I haven’t used this app much myself to verify the accuracy, but I’ve seem the name bounce around Twitter / X a good amount and it represents an interesting utility as AI generated content proliferates.
TweetDetective.com leverages sophisticated AI to pinpoint the likelihood of tweets being AI-generated, providing a percentage-based assessment. This platform empowers users to differentiate between human and AI-authored content on Twitter, enhancing transparency. Its advanced algorithms offer a nuanced understanding of AI's role in social media, making the app a vital tool for discerning digital interactions.
My Creative Updates
I’ve been working on putting together and practicing a set list for an upcoming acoustic performance in two weeks. I’m using the show date as kind of a self imposed deadline to finish a new song that I’ve been working on (creative restriction FTW!).
It’s been a good exercise in artistic flow as I’m trying to shut down my overthinking and perfectionism as I write different sections and lyrics for the song. It’s always a battle, but a lot of it comes down to focusing on the perspective of how and why you’re writing the song. I had an existing verse part that was kind of cool, as almost a b-side type song, but then a bigger chorus popped up that sounded good, but at first didn’t fit the song.
I caught myself overthinking as I wanted to maybe make two songs because they didn’t quite fit how I originally thought they might, but then I re-framed my perspective to realize that the unique juxtaposition of the two parts might actually be different and part of my style.
That coupled with the fact that I’m shooting for a deadline so that I can perform it, along with embracing the concept that this is an expression in a moment in time and I can move on to many many more has me progressing through.
Anyway, I just wanted to share a personal experience with reframing some perfectionism to make progress and respect the process of creating and finishing.
Hopefully I’ll have it ready, love it and be performing it for the first time in a couple weeks 😄