Is 300 the Tipping Point?

The 300 Rule.

Today marks my 300th Think Letter! subscribe here. In depth summaries and insights about the future of work, career agility, practical AI, and art & design.

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If you are a creator, this post is for you. You may create art, music, content, videos, speeches, and beyond. And you wonder if your work will ever catch on.

According to Alex Mather, you should not expect any traction until you have published at least 300 great pieces of work. 

I don't know if I would describe my 300 pieces of work as great.If great happens 25% of the time (generous), my better than average articles would total 75.

What I've Learned from Writing 300 Articles

After publishing 300 articles (today is the day!), creating thousands of LinkedIn posts, authoring a 300-page book, and delivering hundreds of presentations, what have I learned?

→ It's OK to evolve and change your focus. Transformation happens along the way.

→  The process of creating 300 pieces allows you to refine your voice, style, and expertise. By the time you hit this number, you’ll likely have a better understanding of what resonates with your audience, improving your content’s quality and relevance.

→  Creating 300 low-quality or irrelevant pieces will not lead to success. Quality must be prioritized alongside quantity.

→  To quote Seth Godin, "Waiting for perfect is never as smart as making progress." Stagnation is the enemy.

→  Staying relevant requires a smart observation of trends and consistent research. Consuming content in your space and related areas of interest will keep your point of view fresh.

→  Stepping into the unknown and willingness to experiment summarize my style. Learning by doing is a core strategy.

→  My content incorporates multiple areas of study. I cover aspects of art & design, technology advancements (like AI), personal development in careers, branding, and beyond.

→  After reading the book Range, Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, by David Epstein, I am a self-proclaimed generalist, rather than a specialist. Examples of generalists include Richard Branson (current) and Margaret Meade (historical). Examples of specialists include Warren Buffet and Jane Goodall.

→  If you follow the laws of branding where extreme focus is rewarded, specialists often gain traction faster than generalists.

As I press the publish button on my 300th Think Letter today, I have mixed feelings. I am happy about setting a goal and making progress. There is still room to gain traction for ideas and make an impact.

A creative's work is never done.

How about you? What have you learned as you put your work out in the world?

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Practical AI for you and your teams 😎 I'm Marti, a workplace futurist available for speaking, workshops, and training.