You can polish a turd – 12 rules to better learning

Out of curiosity, I did a little research on the subject of turd polishing after my last post, and, lo and behold, it turns out you can polish a turd. I was impressed.

Which got me to thinking. Does this go beyond the literal? Can you resuscitate a poorly formed idea? After mulling it over, I’m starting to think you can. Why would it be limited to turds? Of course, there will be those who contend that if something can be polished to the point of resuscitation, it wasn’t really a poorly formed idea in the first place. And maybe that’s true. There will be those who say they don’t want polished turds. That’s probably even more true. Meh. You say tom-a-to, I say to-mah-to. But what difference does it really make? We all start with bad ideas. Some people learn to have good ones. How is it that some people seem to get so much more out of their time? I’m not buying that it’s all just talent. Here are some thoughts on how to keep yourself motivated and growing.

12 Rules to Stay on the Move

1. You can fool some of them some of the time…
You know when you’ve hit it, you know when you miss. Not everyone else will. You can cut a couple’s bodies off at the neck and stick a big sky over them. Some people will think you’re cool. Some people won’t get it. And some people will catch on to what you’re up to. But only you know when your really hitting it, and when you’re just digging into your bag of tricks. Stay sharp, and don’t ease off. And remember to clear out that bag of tricks sometimes and give yourself some extra space to grow.

2. Your style doesn’t matter
Styles are a dime-a-dozen. Everyone one has one, and everyone is after one. Don’t worry about finding the right style. There’s no such thing. Don’t even worry about style, and certainly don’t chase the flavor of the month. There’s a market for just about everything if you can do it well. Do it well, and the market will figure out what your style is.

3. The product does matter
Get the craft down. The market is competitive and there are no barriers to entry. Get good. Know your lenses, know your camera, know how to make a shot out of anything without your lenses or your camera. Almost anything has the potential to be a great shot if you can find the right way to work it.

4. You’re not the worst
Don’t panic when you see someone else who is better than you. Don’t be discouraged, don’t chase after them. There’s always someone better than you at something, and probably at many things. When you see that they see something you don’t, remember that you probably see something they don’t. Lead with your strengths, solidify your weaknesses, and don’t worry about other people. It might be a competition, but it’s not a race.

5. You’re not the best
Did I mention that there’s always someone better than you at something? There are always things you can improve on. When you see the mistakes other people make that they don’t, remember that you probably make mistakes that other people see that you don’t.

6. A following matters
A following comes when you’re good and you get your work out there. A following comes when you give people something that sticks. If you do the same thing as everyone else, you don’t build a following. AT&T has subscribers. Apple has a following.

7. Friends matter
Even if you don’t have a following, you can have friends. People who champion you simply for liking you. They’ll help spread the word and keep the world aware. Make sure to keep feeding your audience with new work and insights.

8. You matter, not everyone else
You set your own terms. Don’t get derailed by jealousy and insecurity. You don’t need a team of five, the biggest office, or nation-wide recognition. You need what you need, and that’s up to you to decide and figure along the way. If those things keep you motivated, go for it. But don’t chase to the point of distraction. These things don’t create good work. They are the result of it.

9. No one cares about you until they care
You can tweet, you can update your status, you can add all the friends you like, but no one cares until they care. You want a following that loves you. Otherwise, you’re just chasing eyeballs for eyeballs’ sake. It’s a living, and there’s nothing wrong with running a business, but don’t make the mistake of drinking your own Kool Aid.

10. Specialization matters
Remember the days when you only needed a laptop? Now you need a laptop, a smartphone, a netbook, and a tablet, right? The world always gets more and more specialized. People may need a jack-of-all-trades for their wedding, but the world likes specialists. You need to have your chops down, because no one becomes great without it, but be a specialist.

11. Don’t chase the money
When you are good people chase you. When you’re not, you chase them. The money comes if you believe in yourself and give yourself the time to develop. Have faith. It will come.

12. Practice, practice, practice
I said it once, I’ll say it again. Keep chugging away. If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. Don’t pass go, don’t collect $200. Just keep at it.