Throws

In his interview with Tim Ferriss, Seth Godin mentioned that when he is teaching someone to juggle, he tells them not think about the catch at all. Simply throw the ball and let it fall, again and again. Because it isn’t about the catch, it is about perfecting the throw. And when the throw is perfect, the catch will take care of itself. There will be drops in the future, but that is okay, for someone who started out knowing nothing but drops, it is nothing new. But, with time, such drops will be limited on account of the throw being so good.

This approach must be applied to creative endeavours as well. When first starting out, focus on the throw. Put the work out there. A great deal will fall flat. But with a dedicated approach, over time, our craft—the throw—will improve, and the ensuring reception will take care of itself.

The alternative is to think about the catch just as much as the throw. The result, as anyone watching a first time juggler can attest, is all sorts of contortions and sporadic movements in the sake of keeping the balls in the air, ultimately ending in the balls falling to the ground anyway, but with far more effort and far more embarrassment than if they just stood still. And with no real progress to show for it.

Focus on the throw. So what if the ball ends up on the floor? Make the next throw better still, making the catch all the easier.