“Getting stuck is not a problem. Staying stuck is. Good learners practice getting unstuck.” – Alistair Smith
You’ve been there. Staring at a blank canvas wondering where to begin. Spinning your wheels on a project that just isn’t going anywhere. You know something can be different or better but you can’t quite put your finger on it. You’re stressed. You’re exhausted. You’re checked out. Getting stuck sucks, and in our world, it’s crippling to the creative process.
Getting stuck is inevitable. It has happened to you before and it’ll happen to you again. You can’t avoid getting stuck but you can be proactive about getting unstuck.
This is something we preach and practice here at Proof. While there is always a “lead” on every project, everyone on the team is encouraged to pass work back and forth, share things often, collaborate, and use the rest of the team to get unstuck quickly.
As Einstein said, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results”. Most often all you need to get unstuck is to shake up the routine, either by having someone else add perspective or simply thinking in a different way.
Something we have a strong blend of amongst our team is both vertical and lateral thinking. Vertical thinking is more analytical, step by step, based on fact with one expected outcome. Lateral thinking jumps from idea to idea, assesses opportunities, breaks the rules, and is quick to share ideas.
Too much vertical thinking and you’ll get stuck traveling down one streamlined path, unable to see other options and ideas. Too much lateral thinking and you’ll jump from thought to thought, never seeing one totally through. So a healthy mix of both is key.
Our process and team dynamic allows us to use each other’s unique perspectives and ideas to collaborate and get unstuck. It’s a vital component to our creative success and keeps us moving past obstacles toward opportunities.