I’ve had certain ideas burning a hole in my brain for a while. I think they’re good ideas, but I’m not sure so I haven’t spent the energy on drawing them. They are ‘great ideas… in theory’.
Truth is, I’m afraid that when I start them, I’ll discover that I’m not up to the task: I don’t have the skills yet to realise them as well as I can imagine them. So, in some ways, it’s safer not to try. If I don’t try they can remain great ideas… in theory.
But ideas that aren’t made can’t be shared and ideas that can’t be shared don’t help anyone. They can’t inform or entertain an audience and without that, I don’t learn if that great idea in theory is also a great idea in reality.
If I try to realise a great idea and learn that I’m not skilled enough to translate that idea into reality, I will have learned something. But, if it turns out I am able to take that idea and make it well, I will have also learned something. By learning anything I will have more information to decide on what’s next; either develop the skills I don’t have so that I can make turn the idea into reality, or build on the success of the original work and make something even more ambitious next.
By taking the ‘risk’ of starting, exploring, and finishing, I’m better able to understand which great ideas (in theory) will make better ones in reality. Over time, that’s likely to lead to better & more interesting work that’s more likely to inform or entertain an audience. I like those chances.