It’s easy to get locked into a certain way of doing things. You get used to a certain way of working. You start thinking that there’s only one path forward.
Doing the work is a little like writing a song. Here’s one to consider: Neil Young’s “Helpless,” one of those songs from the 70s that’s absolutely perfect. I’ve listened to it too many times to count, and learned it on guitar. I didn’t think there was any way to do it better than the way Neil did it. It’s sparse, solemn, and beautiful:
But I stumbled on a cover version a few months ago that made me rethink Neil’s original version. It made me realize: There might be another way to approach that song and imbue it with that same sense of loneliness and despair. Give this a listen:
The lyrics are the same, and the intention is the same, but that’s not the same song. When I listen to that Angie McMahon cover, I hear a singer taking a completely different route to that same end: A song that’s sparse, solemn, and beautiful.
It’s a reminder for me: There’s no single right way to do the work. Keep trying new approaches, and keep bringing in new voices and new ideas to put their spin on the work. Listen to others. Read a lot. Keep learning. You never know when one of those new perspectives might help you find a brand new “right way” to do the work.