January 28, 2025

Escaping the whirlpool of doubt and uncertainty

When I consider a risk, I tend to over-estimate them rather than under-estimate them. I suspect that’s a largely common response as a way to prioritise safety and survival. For example, when I think about skydiving, the risk seems catastrophic – worst case scenario is that I die. But, when I look at the data, what I see is a fairly low probability of death (~ 1 death every 200,000 jumps).

Because I have this tendency to overestimate risks, I’ve developed a practice of writing them down. As soon as I see them on a page, I think about them differently – they generally seem less risky, and the options I have for mitigating them seem more plentiful. By giving them a likelihood (rare → almost certain) and a consequence (minor → major) rating, they are easier to compare and separate from one another. In corporate land, they call this a risk matrix.

If I let these ideas swim circles in my head, they only continue to generate a whirlpool of doubt and uncertainty. Just like when I draw, paint or illustrate, it’s in the act of mark-making that I find clarity and confidence to know what to do next.

Other observations
April 22, 2025

The craft of digital drawing

The problem with digital art is that there’s always a piece of software between me and the work, but maybe that’s what makes it a craft?

April 15, 2025

Extending the antenna

Where do ideas come from? How does one make something from nothing? Perhaps it’s about recognising the importance of a state of receptivity?

April 8, 2025

Old cheese

Just because something takes a long time, doesn’t mean it’s old, slow or worse. In fact, in the case of cheese, it may be better.

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