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Hey there, innovation champions!
I’m about to tell you a story about a poster I created in April 2016, but here’s the thing — I almost didn’t share this story because I wanted it to fit perfectly with summer momentum. I kept thinking, “But it wasn’t summer! How can I make this work for a mid-summer newsletter?”
And that’s exactly the kind of perfectionist thinking that keeps us stuck.
So here I am, modeling my own principles in real-time. Because the truth is, this April story contains everything you need to know about maintaining momentum when the world around you says “slow down” — whether that’s summer heat, vacation schedules, or any other seasonal excuse our brains cook up.
Let me paint a picture for you: It’s April 2016, and I’m sitting in my home office with this vision — a poster of my 10 Creative Sandbox Way™ guideposts that I desperately wanted to create. For two years, I’d been carrying this idea around like a heavy backpack, always finding reasons why “now wasn’t the right time.”
Sound familiar? If you’re like most of the brilliant minds I work with, there’s always something that makes innovation feel impossible. Spring’s too busy, summer’s too slow, fall’s too intense, winter’s too dark.
But here’s what I discovered that transformative April day: sometimes the very excuse we’re using is exactly the perfectionist trap we need to break free from.
The April That Changed Everything
That particular Tuesday in April, I was procrastinating on the poster project yet again. My gremlins were having a field day: “It’s not the right time,” they whispered. “You should wait until you have more inspiration. Maybe summer when you have more creative energy.”
But then something clicked. I realized I was doing exactly what my Creative Sandbox Way™ was designed to combat — letting perfectionist thinking keep me stuck.
So I did something radical. I applied my own framework to the very framework I was trying to create.
I reminded myself: There is no wrong (Guidepost #1). I told my gremlins to take a vacation of their own (Guidepost #8). And most importantly, I decided to just start. Anywhere (Guidepost #5).
The result? I created that poster in one weekend. Not because the conditions were perfect, but because I stopped waiting for the “right” season and used my framework as fuel instead of excuse.
(Want one? You can download a printable version of my Creative Sandbox Way™ Guideposts + my Imperfectionist Manifesto right here.)
The Mid-Summer Innovation Paradox
Now, fast-forward to today, and here’s what’s fascinating about innovation during any “slow” season — whether it’s summer heat, spring overwhelm, or any other time when conventional wisdom says to pause: while everyone else is slowing down, the most creative breakthroughs often happen when we lean INTO the discomfort rather than away from it.
My April poster breakthrough taught me something crucial that applies perfectly to summer momentum: innovation doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. It thrives when we stop making excuses about timing.
This connects directly to my Create the Impossible™ framework:
Play Hard: Any season’s energy — including summer’s informal vibe — creates the perfect playground for innovation. When usual rigid structures relax, that’s when magic happens.
Make Crap: The “lazy” days of summer (or any slower period) are ideal for rapid prototyping without the pressure of perfection that “busy seasons” often bring.
Learn Fast: With fewer formal meetings and processes during slower periods, summer creates space for the kind of experimental learning that drives breakthrough thinking.
The Science Behind Seasonal Innovation
Neuroscience tells us something counterintuitive: our brains are actually primed for creativity when we’re slightly outside our normal patterns. Whether that’s summer heat disrupting our usual routines, or simply breaking free from “it’s not the right time” thinking like I did in April.
A study published in Organization Science found that mild disruption to routine — like working in a slightly different environment or breaking free from “seasonal thinking” — can actually enhance creative thinking by preventing our minds from falling into predictable patterns.
When we’re too comfortable with our excuses (whether seasonal or otherwise), our brains default to familiar neural pathways. A little disruption to our usual “this isn’t the right time” thinking? That’s when new connections form.
The Poster That Started Everything
Back to my April story — because it illustrates something crucial about maintaining momentum when we think conditions aren’t ideal.
Once I started creating, the “perfect timing” excuse became irrelevant. I was in flow. I played with lettering styles and colors, made what felt like terrible first attempts, and learned rapidly from each iteration. The poster I created wasn’t just a visual representation of my guideposts — it became living proof that they worked, regardless of season or circumstance.
That poster went on to become one of my most popular downloads, shared thousands of times across social media, printed and hung on office walls from Silicon Valley to Singapore. All because I stopped waiting for the “right” time and started creating anyway.
Your Mid-Summer Innovation Toolkit
So how do you harness momentum when everything around you says “slow down” or “wait for better timing”?
- Embrace Seasonal Disruption as Creative Fuel Instead of fighting summer’s different energy (or any seasonal shift), use it. Whether it’s the heat making you think differently, or vacation schedules forcing you to work in new ways, let the disruption enhance your creativity.
- Create Seasonal Sprints Use any slower period to your advantage. Design short, intensive creative sessions — 25 minutes of focused innovation followed by a break. These often produce more breakthrough thinking than hours of traditional brainstorming during “busy” seasons.
- Play with Whatever Season You’re In Every season has its own energy that’s innovation gold. Summer’s playful vibe, spring’s renewal energy, autumn’s harvest focus, winter’s introspective depth — they all offer unique creative advantages if you stop fighting them and start using them.
The Momentum That Matters
The real secret to maintaining momentum isn’t about fighting seasonal rhythms or waiting for perfect timing — it’s about recognizing that innovation doesn’t pause for weather, schedules, or “someday when conditions are better.”
Some of history’s greatest innovations happened during what seemed like the “wrong” time. Steve Jobs conceptualized the iPhone during a summer retreat. Lin-Manuel Miranda got the idea for Hamilton while reading a biography on vacation. I created my breakthrough poster on a random April weekend when I stopped making excuses.
Your breakthrough idea doesn’t care if it’s July or January, April or October. It only cares that you create the conditions for it to emerge — starting with dropping the “perfect timing” excuse.
Your Challenge This Week
Pick one project that’s been sitting in your “someday” pile — your version of my poster project. This week, apply the Create the Impossible™ framework:
- Play Hard: Approach it with curiosity rather than pressure
- Make Crap: Create the worst possible first version
- Learn Fast: Iterate quickly without waiting for perfect conditions or timing
Remember, the best time to start isn’t someday when conditions are perfect — it’s right now, with whatever season, weather, or circumstances you’ve got.
The most serious business is play, especially when conventional wisdom says to wait for better timing.
Stay curious, stay playful, and keep creating the impossible — no matter what the calendar or thermometer says!
I’d love to hear from you: What project have you been putting off that you could tackle with some mid-summer momentum? Click here to let me know!
Senior Leaders: Ready to help your team harness this mid-summer innovation energy? Book a complimentary Innovation Strategy Session and let’s chat about how the Create the Impossible™ framework can transform your approach to seasonal productivity.
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