In the late 1980’s, a graduate student named Thomas Knoll was working on his PhD thesis at the University of Michigan when he faced a simple but frustrating problem: he needed a better way to display grayscale images on his monochrome computer screen.
So, he made one. He wrote a program that solved his problem. And, that was that.
One day he showed the program to his brother John, who was working at Industrial Light & Magic. John immediately saw much greater potential in Thomas’s code, and suggested that maybe they should turn it into something more substantial – a full fledged image editing program.
Through countless iterations and refinements between 1987 and 1990, they developed the little program into a sophisticated image editing tool.
The tool? Photoshop, of course.
What began as a little tool that solved a problem was developed into something much more substantial. A good idea was transformed into a great one.
This story demonstrates how brilliant ideas often evolve through intentional choices and systematic development rather than just spontaneous inspiration. The Knoll brothers didn’t just have a good idea – they made deliberate choices to develop and refine that idea into something revolutionary.
It’s tempting to rely on bursts of inspiration or quick-fix solutions. To believe that brilliant ideas emerge “whole cloth” from the womb. But that’s not how most of the transformative work in the world happens. Rather, it’s chiseled out of marble. Sure, the promise and the vision are there, but most of the value is carved and edited, not dictated.
As Jack London quipped, “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
Here are a few questions I encourage you to consider:
Is there an idea you once believed had promise that you’ve abandoned?
Why did you drop the idea? Was it because it got too difficult? Or, was it because you simply got bored with the idea and moved on to something more interesting? Scott Belsky calls this dynamic the “project plateau”, meaning that we initially get very excited about something, but once the enthusiasm wanes we immediately jump to a new, invigorating idea. In doing this, we often abandon a project just when it has the potential to become something great.
How could you re-claim the project and further develop it?
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” – Jack London
Do you have time set aside for “deep work”?
This is a phrase coined by guest of the show Cal Newport to describe focused, intentional time for doing creative thinking and development. It’s tempting to think that great work will happen in the cracks and crevices of life, but that is rarely the case. If you want to produce brilliant work, you must dedicate the resources necessary for that work to be born.
When will you dedicate a long block of time for doing your most important, creative work?
What new patterns are you beginning to see, but are trying to ignore?
Often, we sense that a valuable idea is forming before the dots have fully connected. However, we ignore it because new ideas mean more work, and the plate is already full! What patterns do you see in your work, in your interactions, in how your customers or clients are responding to the market, or in what seems to be obsessing your thoughts?
What new pattern is forming that you need to pursue?
Your best ideas are more likely to be forged than discovered in a moment of ecstasy. Be diligent in your process, set aside the resources you need to do the work, and commit to ideas even when they get hard. By doing so, you ensure that each idea will reach its full potential.
