Sometimes there is no starting from existing materials. Sometimes the only way to move forward is to start over. A blank sheet of paper gives you the opportunity to sketch out the new ideas that need to come together.
The other key ingredient is time. Nothing new happens in an instant. You cannot build a platform on a whim. You cannot roll-out something new just because the fancy strikes you. You can’t fix a problem that you haven’t given thought to from all angles.
There are few things I love better than clearing my calendar and sitting down with a blank sheet of paper. I draw out connections. I write stream-of-consciousness, I doodle, I try to explain my ideas to myself. Most of the things put to paper don’t survive past the brainstorming phase, but each mark moves me closer to a clarity of thought.
That’s the whole goal, to clearly think through what you need to do. We can get so easily caught up in the day-to-day that we never step back and review our current position. Always question yourself. Some decisions are made in a rush but somehow are given the weight of permanence and never reevaluated. Don’t fall into the trap.