The weird simplicity of doing by pretending

Michel Gondry on Creativity: “Figure it out by doing it.”

I recently revisited a documentary about Michel Gondry, and it reminded me of one of the most universal truths about creativity: When you have an idea, the only way to figure out how to do it is by doing it.

It’s advice that has been reframed and retold a thousand different ways, and for good reason. Because often, what gets in the way isn’t the “how”—it’s us.

We let our fears, anxieties, doubts, and overthinking crowd the path forward. It’s like standing in a line behind all these negative emotions, waiting for them to move so we can finally step forward. Or worse, exhausting ourselves trying to “eliminate” them before we even start.

But the truth is, you don’t have to wait. You don’t need a fast pass or some kind of grand transformation to bypass the crowd. What you need is a little mindset shift. In my experience, the best way to get past the crowd is with a press pass.

The first time I was on assignment and had actual press credentials for actual real work, it made me realize how easy it was and how weird it was that it was THAT easy.

The press pass made it that easy because a press pass doesn’t overthink or wait for permission. It goes straight to the front because there’s work to be done. And when you adopt this approach, you realize that the act of starting is what clears the way.

Creativity isn’t about perfection or waiting for the “right moment.” It’s about the messy, brave decision to start.

So, what’s your next project? Maybe it’s time to flash that press pass and get to it.