Planning or Playing

When I listened to Venkatesh Rao's podcast, a couple things particularly intrigued me as they had me thinking about some of the work I've completed in the past. This notion of planning as if it was a game seems like a good thing to try when you're stuck.

1. Planning to finish is playing a finite game to win it and exit it

2. Planning to start is working to enter an infinite game and continuing to play it indefinitely

What I like about these ideas is that they feel true to the process you undergo for creativity. When designing, I often work with bursts of energy and my mind races with different ideas and I don't necessarily have a vision of the piece until I explore different layouts and find what works/doesn't. Improvisation can really push you to come up with unique designs, and I feel that it isn't as appreciated as planning might be. For me, sitting and working on something from scratch is a process that can lend itself to a lot of creativity if you push through the initial mental blocks. In this case, the "infinite game" you're playing is something that the mind refines as it works through something on the spot and often in time constraints. Here your creation is a work-in-progress that can continuously be improved, in contrast to playing a "finite game" where when the plan finishes the spontaneity cuts off.

Overall, I appreciated hearing this perspective from someone. Preparation is helpful but not always the best way forward in certain contexts.