Simon Sinek wrote about starting with why and flipped the script on business development in doing so. Many won't start here; those who already deftly swing along the ropes of business and sales may feel this is unnecessary. If you already know how to make money, what does “the why” behind why you do it matter?

Time will tell you why you want to know the motivation for your life. Countless wealthy and successful people are miserable despite possessing more than most. Earning accolades and external validation that should fill even the thirstiest man's cup is not a holy grail of contentment.

Why are people dissatisfied even though they have checked the proverbial boxes? Because earning is not enough.

We are socially connected human beings with relatively short lifespans who ultimately need to leave a legacy in the hearts and minds of those who walk behind us (the next generation) and those who walk beside us (our own generation).

In this relay race of life, satisfaction comes when we pass the baton to a teammate on the same mission as ourselves; we call this mentorship.

A great mentor is a person whom you can connect with on a heart and soul level— the kind of person who makes you feel optimistic about the future because they can see the same dream you have come true in their lifetime.

This is why it matters to ask the question "why." It will sustain you when the days are long, and you are weary; it will connect you to the present and the future, and you can live your life knowing you have tried your best to imprint something truly valuable onto the world. Your “why” is your fuel through all the ups and downs.

Seth Godin calls us to keep it simple by getting our work out into the world first and foremost, and ship the work.

Nothing exists if what you create never sees the light of day through a reader, listener, viewer, or buyer. Your task as a builder is simple: a deliverable must be released into the wild at the end of the process.

It is funny how many of us miss this important detail and cling precariously to our work as though it will prevent us from drowning. Our clinging will do the opposite, drowning us in a sea of edits, unimportant details, irrelevant feedback, and, worse, sunk costs. No, it is not ready yet, and yes, you can add something significant, but no one knows about the parts you leave out, so let them stay that way until the reprint. Give yourself a break and get to your milestones. The only way to do so is to ship the work.

Stagnation is death; the end is the beginning of the next round — get used to this.

You know the bad guys in platform games like Mario, and how, with each level, you must master the new skills required to beat the next level? Life is like this, too.

You don't learn cool things to say, you can do them; you work to master a new complex skill so you can know it and have it on hand the next time you need it.

Iteration is how we build upon what we already know. Iteration is the constructive path out of failure, the way to learn from and develop from mistakes. This process builds strength in you and what you create. Nothing left to chance, and shipped without testing will stand up to competition.

I have been crafting digital videos for creative exploration for about fifteen years. As technology has improved, I no longer overload the CPU of every computer I challenge to handle my multi-layered video renderings. Now I can use my phone, and the computer is for larger projects. As we evolve, we must iterate. We must seize the opportunity new technology provides. If we are stuck in apathy-fueled inertia due to burnout, the only seizing we can muster at the end of our day is whatever vice we choose to numb our numbness.

If you are in this place, please seek help from a counselor, coach, or mentor. The depth of mental illness brought on by career burnout is as deep as any depression I have felt. Your mind and body are telling you that change is needed. Please listen to yourself.

We must have space to dream.

When I am making art, I am lost to myself and connected instead to the feeling of whatever I am creating. When deep in the code or design of a system, I can find flow in the same way as in art making. Flow-state is a spiritual experience for me and many of my peers. We crave the still and silent movement of ideas, unfolding like paper flowers in our mind.

For all creators, there must be time for flow. For truly great products, flow must be part of the design process. Driving toward deadlines exclusively will ensure that dead products cross the finish line. Indeed, the criteria for being done may be met, but the requirements for a truly engaging experience for the customer will likely be left out.

Measurement is the problem in many cases. You cannot measure the beauty of a painting or the feeling it conveys. Though we cannot measure these elements, we do not negate their value in art. When we create, we put our whole selves into it.

I believe it is time for more of us to approach software design with the same passion that we employ in art making. Cross-discipline training to increase stamina in technical fields will prove more useful now than ever.

AI solutions will replace the boring parts of our work, and yes, even some of the more stimulating parts. Coding is fun, it is solving puzzles, AI is going to kick our asses at anything that is like a puzzle.

Smashing disparate ideas together is creativity and commercially available AI is not generalized AI and therefore not going to kick your ass at unprompted innovation.

If you are worried about being usurped by a chatbot, don’t stay inert; leap into momentum. Finally, get to the bottom of your “why” to unlock unlimited motivation to remain in the arena.

Until next week—

Your faithful writer, Sonia SuperSonic