The Throwaway Theory

The first thing we create will always be messy. But we hold ourselves to extremely high standards, so we're not okay with this. Tough pill to swallow.

That means heavy paralysis to start. Why even try? And then we convince ourselves it’s not worth it.

I saw this post that I liked: The Throwaway Theory. Essentially, lower the stakes. Assume the first thing you make, you’re going to ball it up and toss it in the trash. It will be ugly. That’s not only okay, but actually intentional.

But it immediately lowers the pressure for perfection. It gives psychological safety and graceful permission to iterate. You can be expansive and creative — without the baggage of self-judgment.

Is there something you can start soon with the intention that you can just chuck it?