I’m writing this piece on an airplane at 8:43 pm. Don’t let the Instagrammable view fool you.
This travel day went 0% as planned, with guest appearances from a mechanical issue which heated my would-be plane to 90 degrees, a thunderstorm perfectly aligned to our flight path, and delays upon delays.
All I wanted for the past several hours was to know I’d make it to California for my business trip. Despite the iconic efforts of Betsey the travel agent—who did college-level calculus changing airlines, connecting airports, and arrival cities—it seemed like I’d never make it off the ground.
And isn’t that how it feels when we’re trying to an idea into something real? We’re planning, even taking action, but getting nowhere.
I could’ve hugged the pilot when he said we were all clear for departure. There’s the obvious reason. I will make it to my business trip.
But also because I’ve been playing with a framework for bringing ideas to life using the acronym CLEAR.
After years of turning my ideas into something tangible, I’ve noticed that these five elements are always present.
They’re how I create a CLEAR container for my idea to grow.
Clarity - I get clear on what I want for this idea. It doesn’t have to be a detailed five-year vision. Sometimes it’s as simple as defining the question I’m trying to answer with this idea or getting clear on how I want to feel as I work with the idea.
Levity - Nothing sucks the fun out of your idea like being overly serious about it. My projects have a better chance of success when I lower the stakes and lean into possibility.
Experimentation - I don’t wait until I’ve got it all figured out. I take action. I try, realize that didn’t quite work, test something else, pivot, and iterate.
Accountability - This one’s a biggie for me. Intrinsic motivation only takes me so far. I need positive external pressure so that I’ll keep going. Even when it’s harder than I thought. Even when moving forward requires me to face some beliefs I’d rather ignore. Even when there’s another shinier idea I want to go play with.
Resources - There’s no prize for doing it the hard way. Yes, I revisit my own knowledge and experience, but I don’t limit myself to my own wisdom. I allow others’ insights to inform my approach.
If you're having trouble getting your idea off the ground, ask:
Which of these CLEAR elements is missing?
How can I incorporate those missing elements into my approach?
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