A few days ago I came across designer’s Bruce Mau’s Incomplete Manifesto for Growth. While truthfully I am not terribly well versed in Mr. Mau’s design work, I found this manifesto to ring true. I have copied and pasted a few of my favorite parts:
Begin anywhere.
John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: begin anywhere.
(This is a problem I have. Starting is often the hardest part of any project. I love to savor the idea in my head. It is still perfect fantasy then. )
Don’t be cool.
Cool is conservative fear dressed in black. Free yourself from limits of this sort.
(But what do you do when suddenly dork is the new cool?)
Make your own tools.
Hybridize your tools in order to build unique things. Even simple tools that are your own can yield entirely new avenues of exploration. Remember, tools amplify our capacities, so even a small tool can make a big difference.
(I don’t think I have invented any new tools yet but I do like to repurpose tools!)
Make mistakes faster.
This isn’t my idea — I borrowed it. I think it belongs to Andy Grove.
(This really relates to the “Begin Anywhere” advice for me. Paralysis is often fear of making a mistake—even though that’s probably what you should be doing anyways)
