How to know when to stop swimming in ideas and take action in your research
Balancing the idea rumination phase with imperfect action
What does writing a journal article, a dissertation, or a book for the first time have in common with the process of becoming a new business owner? Actually, the more pertinent question is: What does it feel like to be a beginner at something new?
As most of my dear readers are aware, I recently resigned from my academic position and am launching a new business based on some of my work at Publish Not Perish. You can read about that new business plan here:
There is so much to learn about entrepreneurship and online business, and I am spending a lot of time reading, studying, and considering possibilities. I find myself hesitant to make decisions quickly or without a great deal of deliberation because it can be difficult to determine which decisions are the most important and which ones might be more minor because this is new territory for me.
This reminds me a lot about my journey to becoming an academic writer.
The ideation phase
When I’m new to something, I notice more of a tendency to linger in the ideation phase, carefully weighing options before taking action. It's a familiar tug-of-war between wanting to ensure everything's just right and feeling the pressure to make progress. This is a feeling that I’ve experienced before in my academic career and something I also observe in people early in their own academic journeys.
I often advise PhD students to push past this hesitation and act on their research ideas because I observe many of them lingering for a very long time at the proposal stage, for example. Many get caught up in the initial stages of their dissertations, grappling with self-doubt and the fear of making mistakes. I empathize because I've been there myself.
However, as I embark on this new chapter of entrepreneurship, those feelings resurface for me in a way that makes me more sympathetic to new academic writers. It serves as a good reminder of my own experiences learning to write.
Recently, a friend with many years of experience running an academic business gently reminded me that obsessing over the perfect business name, which I had been doing for a while, may not be the top priority right now. Her words struck a chord with me, reminding me of the advice I give my students to spend the majority of their time on the core essentials, such as arguments and interventions, rather than chapter titles, reading everything ever written on the subject, or other distractions.
My friend gave me great advice to focus more on the big picture, but I also hold that in tension with another reality: doing something for the first time just takes longer. It’s harder to make decisions as quickly because, like early frontier explorers, you have to map the contours of new territory, creating the first map of that land as you go. Being new at something is inherently slower because you need time to map those new patterns in your brain so you can see the path more clearly.
I got to a point where I could research and write much more quickly because the ideation phase could be shorter, and I was more confident in my work because I had done it before. I could more easily make decisions and take risks in my work because I was just generally more confident in my abilities. I would also take chances and dive in before I had everything figured out.
Imperfect Action
I’ve written before about strategically using imperfect action.
Imperfect action involves taking the leap, even when conditions are less than optimal and things aren't entirely figured out. It entails making decisions, setting goals, and forging ahead with your research, teaching, and service, even in the face of incomplete information or uncertainty. In essence, it prioritizes progress over perfection.
Knowing how long to let ideas marinate and when to make decisions that affect the scope of your project or argument is an art, not a science. There’s no formula that will work for every person and every project.
That said, I believe it is critical to recognize that when you are new to something, there is a natural tendency to proceed tentatively and make decisions slowly. I believe this is part of the natural learning process and that marinating on ideas can be a very beneficial process.
But if you stay in the ideation phase out of perfectionism or fear rather than to make the project actually better, then you might remain stagnant for too long. There comes a time when you must take the leap in order to move the project forward.
It’s important to
recognize that the pursuit of perfection can often lead to stagnation and missed opportunities. It demands the adoption of a beginner's mind, a perspective that treats failures not as reflections of one's identity or potential but as valuable opportunities for learning and growth.
Progress often comes from embracing uncertainty and taking calculated risks. So, while it may feel daunting, sometimes we simply have to dive in and give it our best shot.
And, yes, I am writing this post to encourage myself that I have learned enough to put my business plan into action; that it will not be perfect, but that I will learn a lot along the way, which is precisely how change and growth operate.
But I am also remembering how difficult it is to be a new academic writer, and I just wanted to let you know that I see you.
Amen, Sister. Thanks for the reminder. Retirement + writing is also a new thing. For one, guilt and procrastination come together differently (Oh, I have LOTS of time for X, Y, Z)/ you have all the time in the world so why are your procrastinating?). There is also, for me, a significant decline in a desire to do lit review. That's neither good nor bad, but it does mean I'm probably not writing a 'serious' academic book. So, I spent/d time worrying that. Now, I'm in some odd but open state of mind: "Write your book, Mary. It's actually for you." I argue with myself about that, too. I think just writing this reflection in response to yours will be helpful.