Hello, and welcome to Happenchance! My goal here is to help people create amazing things. Since this is a pretty broad description, I’ve put my best articles together in the form of answers to common questions.
Before you get off and running, though, I’d appreciate it if you could tweet or share this valuable resource with your friends.
Problem: I want to create something (with the potential to become) amazing, but I don’t know where to start. What do?
Solution: You need to start by building your idea muscles. Read How to Increase Creativity With Mind Mapping and learn how to do this. Read Two Strategies of Generating Ideas. You could also go on an Inspiration Binge. Also, check out 16 Ways to Increase Creativity and Generate Clever Ideas and 14 (More) Ways to Increase Creativity and Generate Clever Ideas and the perennial favorite 8 Lessons in Creative Work I Learned from My Garden,
Problem: I read all the articles and followed your advice and now I’m up to my elbows in ideas. What do?
Solution: Time to start keeping track of your ideas. Check out Keeping Track of Ideas and How I Use My Knockoff Moleskine.
Problem: How can I stop procrastinating the challenging-but-rewarding stuff?
Solution: Procrastination is both a habit and a manifestation of capital-R Resistance. Learning to break this habit and kick Resistance in the ass is one of the most important skills I can teach you. Read and study 6 Reasons Behavior Change is Hard and How to Make it Easier, 5 Simple-Yet-Powerful Tools for Defeating Resistance, How to Make Creative Inertia Work for You
Problem: There’s a voice in my head that tells me I’m an idiot who is going to fail at everything I ever attempt. What do?
Solution: The voice is normal, and you probably will fail. Several times. You might even face public humiliation and ridicule. But you’ll survive, and scars are sexy. To learn more, check out How to Manage Your Inner Critic, How to Manage the Fear of Failure,How to Manage Stage Fright (Not Just for Musicians).
Problem: I start a lot of projects but never finish them. What do?
Solution: Start by Developing the Completion Habit. Then you can Stop Whining and Start Grinding. You also need to ask yourself One Important Question and Which Digit Should I Sever?
Problem: How can I improve my focus?
Solution: The ability to focus is a skill, and with some effort and attention, most people can improve their ability to focus. Read What to Do When You Can’t Concentrate, Increase Focus With the Pomodoro Technique, 16 Easy Ways to Increase Focus, Walking to Improve Concentration
Problem: I’m lazy. How can I stop being lazy?
Solution: I used to be lazy as well, so this topic is kind of dear to me. Check out Why I Stopped Being Lazy, The Happenchance Guide to Overcoming Laziness, and the 7 Lessons I Learned from my Indolence.
Problem: What if I want to start a project but I don’t have time?
Solution: You need to re-examine your priorities. Check out How to Gain Two Weeks of Free Time Every Year, Are You Using Your Spare Time…Or Just Filling It? and 10 Free Time Management Resources
Problem: How can I be happier?
Solution: Yikes. Just as there are many ways to skin a crocodile, there are also many ways to be happier, and I cannot begin to enumerate them here. However, I can offer you 7 PhD-Approved Ways to Increase Your Happiness.
Problem: How can I be a better writer?
Solution: Read How I Became a Better Writer and You Can, Too. You might also appreciate 27+ Free Writing Resources.
Problem: I’m already pretty good at life and stuff, but how can I be more awesome?
Solution: I’m still working on this myself. However, I can make a few suggestions: Why Useless Skills Matter, In Defense of Handwriting, Learn to Improve Your Reading Recall
Problem: I want all of this in a convenient book form. Do you have anything I can purchase?
Solution: No promises, as I’m a busy boy (new dad, full-time job, part-time writer, etc.), but I hope to have a book out later this year.