Whatever we feed the beast will inevitably come out in what we produce (and even dictate whether we produce anything at all).

As someone who has spent years getting under the skin of the creative process, I know that mastering it begins with curiosity, and this muscle can be trained. This involves developing the conscious ability to open up your mind at will, zoom out and set your antenna to “receive.”

Interesting things start to happen when we learn how to skillfully manoeuvre the lens of our mind’s eye from expansive immersion to focused immersion. It separates the confident creator from the amateur collector.

But when our senses are constantly being bombarded with nonstop, superficial white noise, we need to acknowledge that much of the content thrust upon us simply won’t provide the nutrition our imagination needs.

You know this.

So, what’s the antidote?

You’ve got to find a new kind of seasoning

Expansive Immersion

I regularly make a point of arranging interesting things in my diary to jolt me out of the daily doldrums and expand my inner horizons; looking at weird stuff in specimen jars with my kids, spending an afternoon thumbing through handmade Zines, or enjoying a colourful evening of Leigh Bowery-inspired cabaret.

It doesn’t matter what kind of “creative” you are – artist, scientist, designer, writer, entrepreneur, engineer. It is essential to season your main course with unexpected flavours from time to time.

You might already dip in and out of interesting content – publications, exhibitions, shows, books and films – and this is all good stuff. Keep doing it. Do more of it!

But the sweet also calls for the sour.

If you are pretty gen’d up on your specialist subject, then I would suggest you occasionally dive into things diametrically opposite to what you know best.

Do you operate in an industry that depends heavily on conversations – marketing or PR, maybe? What can you learn about a Buddhist vow of silence (or, even better, participating in a silence retreat)?

Do you normally paint landscapes or make floral paper collages? Then go visit a kinetic theatre or read about near-future technologies in Wired Magazine.

“T-shaped people”

Over 15 years ago, I discovered an enduring concept in Tim Brown’s book Change by Design. He called it “T-shaped people”.

T-shaped people are “architects who have studied psychology, artists with MBAs, or engineers with marketing experience”.

This idea of the multidimensional creative has stayed with me ever since. Brown taught me that the really exciting stuff happens at the intersection of the ‘T’.

So, if you are not one already, work toward becoming more T-shaped.

Immerse yourself in the unexpected. Look for clues where you would normally never dare to tread. Fill sketchbooks, snap pictures and collect all kinds of random stuff. Set out to greedily fill your notebooks with any idea or concept that looks remotely interesting, ready to be distilled when the time comes.

After all, inspiration really can come from anywhere.

Focused Immersion

Going for a wander in a delightful location or flicking through books all afternoon is already my idea of heaven. But consider, for a moment, what happens when we do the very same thing with a project bubbling away in our minds.

This moves the dial from ‘browse’ to ‘discover.’

All of a sudden, the whole immersion process cranks up to 11. My brain is on fire; clues appear from every angle, patterns emerge, and ideas trickle (then gush) forth.

Filling your cup is an essential part of the creative process. However, considering that we retain only 30% of what we see, 20% of what we hear, and only 10% of what we read after two weeks, having something to attach our newfound knowledge to is essential for new roots to bed in.

This is why I am a big fan of Focused Immersion.

So how do I practice “Focused Immersion”?

First, you must define what you want your subconscious mind to work on. It will become your best ally.

Legendary inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil says you should never go to bed without asking your subconscious a question, and credits his greatest inventions as a result of this practice. So if dreaming is the ultimate form of immersion, how can we transfer this wisdom into the waking world?

Before setting out on an immersion field trip, take some time to consider what you will be working on in the coming days, weeks, or months, and set your subconscious a brief. Plant a few seeds.

I am always in and out of my notes, reflecting on what’s on the boil. This regular check-in with my creative brain keeps the receiving signal strong.

[Don’t have anything interesting to work on right now? Check out my article on defining your next big project.]

A couple of guardrails

Immersion is joyful. But immersion can also be addictive. Always discovering, always learning. Infinite possibilities abound.

Author Neil Gaiman knows this only too well. He strongly advises writers, when world-building for a new story, to get in and get back out as quickly as possible. You are walking a fine line between the joy of discovery and getting dragged in headfirst.

If you have a project bubbling, set yourself a TIME LIMIT for the immersion stage and stick to it, especially if you are guilty of spending too much time meandering. You need to develop the discipline to know when you have enough raw material.

Then, when you’re done, it’s time for your subconscious mind to do its thing while you take in the scenery.

Advertising legend James Webb Young called this phase “Incubation” – something great thinkers have used for aeons. You know what I’m talking about – those great ideas that come to you in the shower, or standing in the queue at the coffee shop.

“Incubating” is a great tool to use after a spell of immersion. Go for a walk. Don’t look at what you’ve collected for a few days. Let the swirling morass drain. Your subconscious brain will do the rest.

Some ideas will certainly come to you while you are immersing yourself, but I often find the real goodies show up a little while later. This could be when you next sit down to work on your project, or they could show up at your Nan’s house. The beautiful thing about filling your cup is that ideas start to float in the ether, so you’d better be ready to grab them before they move on to someone else.

Now, do the work.

Immersion is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable parts of the creative process.

Go down bizarre rabbit holes just for fun. Keep asking “What if?” Ask questions about everything. Challenge your assumptions at every turn. Fire up all your senses and look at things from other perspectives. Imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes.

If you’re not accustomed to doing these things, make a note to do so, and these muscles will develop over time.

Expansive immersion (without any necessary destination) and focused immersion (usually with a project in mind) both have some pretty heavy lifting to do in the creative process, so it’s important to understand the distinctive roles they play.

Pick which one you’d like to roll with this week – expansive or focused – then go forth and discover, you amazing, creative being.

If this article has inspired you, I’d love to hear about the projects you are working on in the comments below.

Until next time.

Stay curious,

Sharon

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📌 PS - If you found this post helpful, would you consider restacking it and sharing it with your audience?

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If you are ready to immerse yourself in your next big project, then join me inside the Perfect Project Masterclass

If you are…

• A bored creative or curious mind seeking inspiration and something new to work on.

• Tired of starting projects but NEVER finishing them.

• Struggling to get clear on how to direct your creative energies.

• Someone with a burning desire to create something from nothing, but with no idea where to start.

I will show you how to turn your daydreams and scribbles into your next BIG Project.

I will walk you through:

• Why most projects never get out of the blocks, and how to fix this

• How to cut through the fog and decide where to direct your creative energies

• How to set up your project so it opens the gates to a tidal wave of creativity

• The 7 Steps you need to take to craft your own unique “Perfect Project”

• And leave you with the Perfect Project Blueprint that will set you up for success time and time again.

If you’re ready to define a crystal clear vision for your next big project that could change everything, click the button and join me inside the masterclass:

The Perfect Project Masterclass

Choose creativity when the world makes it so easy not to.

What project are you dying to get off the ground, but haven’t yet? Drop me a line in the comments and let’s talk about how to get it out of the blocks. 💡

In 2015, I stumbled upon a concept that suggests choosing one word as your focus for the entire year.

This is now my 11th year practising it. I keep it on my phone so I can easily find it when I lose my way.

Last January, I had a welcome bout of optimism despite being deep in the trenches with my husband as he battled stage 4 cancer, and chose the word "Prosper" for 2025.

(The year prior, following Paul's diagnosis and the rapid deterioration of his health, I chose the word "Courage" for 2024.)

However, friends, 2025 had other ideas.

It did not deliver on my dreams of prospering with Kassette. We went from one complication to the next, personally and professionally, feeling at times like we were making some ground, only for there to be a massive pushback from the universe each time. It was relentless.

I had such high hopes to launch my first Kassette collection last year; however, caring responsibilities and family had to come first. There wasn't really much brain space left for anything else.

After a gruelling year of multiple treatments followed by surgery and a deluge of post-op complications, we had a beautiful Christmas miracle when Paul's scans came back clear. And so, for the first time in a long time, I have been able to wander what my "what's next? "will look like.

So, for 2026, I have chosen the word "Do".

Not "think about", or "dream", or "plan".

Just "Do".

If I am not creating or shipping, then I am not doing. And I will give myself a clip around the ear when I notice it happening.

I look forward to doing my best work in 2026.

Thank you to my friends over the last few weeks who have been helping me steady the ship and clear a path forward. You know who you are.

Until next time.

Stay curious,

Sharon

[ A PARTING NOTE: I would wholeheartedly recommend choosing a word for the year. It’s an anchor you can display anywhere you like, and because it’s one word, it requires some thoughtful introspection to carry you through the year.

When life is hectic, I prefer to have a north star rather than another to-do list. ]

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Do you have a word for the year? I’d love to know what it is.

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Do you ever find yourself flitting from one project to the next, a perpetual tinkerer or workshop wanderer?

I understand this more than you know. I do not cope well with idle hands. The moment I get the itch to start something, I’ve booked myself onto a metal sculpture workshop, I’m embarking on a bit of freestyle knitting or finding out what a Raspberry Pi can do.

And while there’s joy to be found in mucking about, tinkering, and learning a few new skills, I have come to realise that the real creative magic happens when my energy is focused on a well-crafted project.

Almost any idea can become a project — and when it’s shaped with intention, it has a way of unlocking far more than you could ever expect.

Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

There are two particular traits I see again and again in all of the creative people I know.

1. Their thirst for knowledge is never quenched.

2. They love to play, muck about, and try new things; if they don’t, they literally go stir-crazy.

Constant learning and playing. Two essential pursuits of every creative maverick.

However, there is something I also see time and time again.

• Tunes that are not finished.

• Books that are never completed.

• Courses that are half done.

• Sidebar projects that peter out.

Full disclosure: this stuff happens to me, too.

And that is because, without realising it at the time, my process was missing something...

• I didn't have a clear reason for why I started in the first place.

• I didn’t set myself a hard stop to work towards.

• I began learning something without having a place to apply my new skills.

• The whole thing was too open — with no buffers or boundaries.

I have come to learn that when these things are missing, the whole creative process suffers.

Tinkering and learning something new vs. taking on a fully blown project are very different beasts, and yes, they all have their place. I LOVE to tinker, and I LOVE to learn, but nothing supercharges your creative efforts more than a proper, juicy project to get your teeth into.

A project demands that information be mined to ignite the imagination.

It requires generating a slew of ideas, and that things be made, fabricated, crafted, cooked up and, most importantly, brought to a heaving and glorious conclusion.

When I set out on a project, I’m not quite sure what it will become. But it’s gonna be mega.

What does the “Perfect Project” look like?

If we look to the worlds of design, art and tech for inspiration, we learn that they have powerful little springboards that can lead to the creation of some truly brilliant work.

• In design, it's a brief

• In art, it's a commission

• In tech, it's a specification

What can we learn from these little gems?

They are all, in a nutshell, projects.

The words in briefs, commissions and specifications set the scene for something that needs to be created, built, invented, or brought to life.

And through working with these documents in my professional and creative practice or writing them for clients, I have found that they all have five special characteristics in common. I call them…

The 5 Keys to Project Perfection

It’s not a well-crafted project if it doesn’t tick these five boxes;

• It has a beginning and an end.
  

• It has a clear “why”. All great projects — big or small — have a purpose. Whether it’s to explore, to protest, to delight, to heal, to solve, or to say something bold, your project needs a reason to exist.
  

• It has a destination. By the end of your project, you want to have created something real — something that didn’t exist before. A product, an artwork, an event, a story, a solution. Define where you’re heading so you can get it over the finish line.
  

• It has context. Nothing exists in a vacuum. Creative work is shaped by the world it lives in — social, cultural, historical, emotional, and environmental. Recognising this will enrich and make your project more relevant.

• It includes constraints. Great creative work needs something to push against. That might be time limits, a small budget, a specific audience, a strict format, or an unusual medium. Constraints don’t limit you — they focus you.

Over the years, I’ve learned (the hard way) that even the most exciting ideas can lose steam — unless they’re supported by the right structure.

These five elements are your creative guardrails. They help you focus, filter, and follow through.

They protect you from drifting too far off course.

Once I started applying these five keys to every project, things began to click into place.

I think it’s the designer in me, always pumped and primed for a good old-fashioned brief.

And I want the same for you.

How to craft your own Perfect Project

Now that you have the 5 Keys for Project Perfection under your belt, you can get on with the business of crafting a project that will capture your imagination.

What follows isn’t a checklist to rush through — it’s a practical approach you can return to whenever you start something new.

1. Collect your seeds

Let’s take a few minutes to get our bearings and consider the potential starting points that will set you on your journey to creating work that knocks it out of the park.

Our time is precious, so regardless of whether you dedicate a lunch hour, a weekend, or an entire summer holiday to your project, you need to collect a few seeds that are worthy of your time.

I tend to find that potential seeds fall into 3 key areas;

1. A point of pure inspiration, generally something you have encountered that aroused your curiosity - a topic, a piece of content, an object, an idea, a problem.

2. There is something you want to do or an action you want to perform.

3. There is something you want to learn or gather more information about.

Don’t overthink things at this point. Just pop some seeds into the broad categories above to provide a starting point for shaping your project.

2. Think about the ‘Why’

You’ll now consider why you might want to water each of the seeds you have popped in your burlap bag. What is their purpose? Is it;

• to spark joy

• to overcome a particular problem or feeling

• a goal you or others want to achieve

• an idea you want to share

• something you want to see in the world

No matter how big or small the ‘why’ is for each seed, jot them all down.

Each seed on your list holds a hidden motivation. Sometimes it’s obvious. Sometimes it’s buried.

It might turn out that what seemed like a tiny seed on your list has a huge ‘why’, and nothing motivates us more than a strong sense of purpose.

When you’re done, decide which seed or combination of seeds you’d like to nurture in your project.

3. Decide where you are going to play

Next, you will ponder some potential playgrounds for the project. This part is crucial because it is here that you will decide where to direct your energies.

Where do you want to play?

Playgrounds are defined spaces, surrounded by fences, walls, bushes or a line of trees. These boundaries allow us to say, “This is the place where we play”.

Now is the time to decide what kind of project you want to wrap around your seed.

What will the project's outcome be?

An artwork? A product? An event? A book? A business? Think expansively about what the possible destinations could be

What kind of constraints are at play?

Who is this project for, and when will I commit to finishing it?

What slice of the world will this project be born into?

Consider the context in which your project will come to life. Having a feel for what’s happening around the edges is essential, but can easily be missed when we’ve succumbed to the intoxicating allure of our new, shiny idea or obsession.

Ultimately, if we don’t take aim, we may meander forever and, much worse, never finish a thing.

After all, the fruits of our labour must come to a grand finale for it to be project perfection.

4. Make a Killer Statement

This is where the magic happens. Nail your project outline, and you open the door to crazy, unique possibilities you might not have otherwise landed on. State exactly what you are actually going to DO.

It is the springboard that sets the whole project in motion, and the work you put in here will be a major factor in determining whether you go on to create stuff that rocks or stuff that sucks.

5. Immerse with intent

Immersion is one of the most powerful tools in the creative process. It’s the practice of deliberately filling your cup so your mind has plenty of material to work with.

Some of the seeds you collected at the beginning of the process might have included points of influence and inspiration that will provide you with a direction of travel.

There are two ways to approach immersion:

Expansive immersion is open-ended.
You wander, explore, and let the world surprise you — visit exhibitions, flip through zines, wander markets, and watch films outside your usual taste. It’s about discovery and widening your horizons. This type of immersion is perfect for finding those seeds in Step 1.

Focused immersion is the lens that sharpens your view.
It works best when you have a defined project in mind. The world now becomes a treasure hunt. Ideas jump out, opportunities reveal themselves, and inspiration starts to flow.

The key is to look at everything through the lens of your chosen seed. You are looking for information and surprises that will fertilise your mind.

Now, do the work.

A thoughtfully crafted project opens the door to your creative genius by providing a space where the following can happen;

✨ Focused immersion in things you care about

💡 Better, more original ideas

🧪 Experimentation and taking creative risks

🫀 Making work that connects with the right people

🧠 Breaking out of old habits or ruts

✅ Motivation to finish what you start

A beautifully thought-out project is the antidote to half-baked ideas, half-finished creations and mediocre, yawn-inducing work.

So, if you ever find yourself flitting from one project to the next, on the brink of something interesting but never quite reaching escape velocity, then the time has come to craft your own “Perfect Project”.

Your genius mind awaits.

Until next time.

Stay curious,

Sharon

Sign up for The Mixtape - brainfood for creatives and curious minds - and you will receive a link to my FREE 5 Day Creative Reboot in your Substack welcome email.

Subscribe now

📌 PS - If you found this post helpful, would you consider restacking it and sharing it with your audience?

This spreads the word and keeps me writing content that will help you unlock fresh ideas and turn them into something real. 🙏

Thanks for reading The Mixtape!

This post is public, so feel free to share it.

Share

If this way of working resonates, then join me inside the Perfect Project Masterclass

If you are…

• A bored creative or curious mind seeking inspiration and something new to work on.

• Tired of starting projects but NEVER finishing them.

• Struggling to get clear on how to direct your creative energies.

• Someone with a burning desire to create something from nothing, but with no idea where to start.

I will show you how to turn your daydreams and scribbles into your next BIG Project.

I will walk you through:

• Why most projects never get out of the blocks, and how to fix this

• How to cut through the fog and decide where to direct your creative energies

• How to set up your project so it opens the gates to a tidal wave of creativity

• The 7 Steps you need to take to craft your own unique “Perfect Project”

• And leave you with the Perfect Project Blueprint that will set you up for success time and time again.

If you’re ready to define a crystal clear vision for your next big project that could change everything, click the button and join me inside the masterclass:

The Perfect Project Masterclass

Choose to show up. Choose to try. Choose creativity when the world makes it so easy not to.

What project are you dying to get off the ground, but haven’t yet? Drop your seedlings in the comments because I can’t wait to help you get them out of the blocks! 💡

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