Back in High school, Mathematics ranked as my favourite subject for many reasons. Mainly because the primary concept of the subject tickles the part of me that likes to figure things out. Well, there’s a threshold where the bliss turns into frustration and I can’t go any further on a math problem, but for the most part, it’s usually fun working out a solution.

Another reason why Maths appealed to me is that it focused more on the process than on the results. We were often asked to show our workings when solving maths problems, and even though the final answer turns out to be incorrect, you get marks for following correct procedures. Interestingly, according to my Math teacher’s standards, supplying the right answer to the question without showing the procedure earns you no mark.

The Math Of Life

Navigating through life is in many ways like solving a series of endless math problems. We’re constantly seeking to figure things out. From figuring out the basic rudiments of life to figuring out how to achieve our high-end goals, there’s always a problem to find a solution to.

The Process Is As Important As The Result

When it comes to achieving our goals, we often focus on the result and pay little attention to the process that culminates in the grand result. There’s a tendency to either underestimate the process or consider it non-essential.

We’re often eager to show off the finished work to the world, forgetting that the process is also as important. Of course, the result is the primary aim for whatever venture or project we take on, but the journey that leads us there is a valuable part of the story and should not be overlooked.

Your results might be amazing and all that, but the process tells the entire story. The inspiration behind your idea, the obstacles you face while executing, the failures you encounter on the path to success, the limitations, and how you’re dealing with them – all of these give more context to the eventual results and help your audience appreciate the finished work even more.

How Did You Do It?

Oftentimes, we come across something phenomenal – an architectural structure, a piece of artwork, or some other creative work– and we rhetorically ask questions like “How did they do it?”. This is because the story isn’t complete, and our minds are seeking to fill in the gaps. Knowing the “how” completes the puzzle and we become even more endeared to the final result. We also end up appreciating the efforts that went behind achieving it.

So while we are working to achieve those phenomenal results of ours, it is also necessary to consciously answer the question of “How did you do it?” by letting people in on your process as you go. In a world where people are constantly producing incredible results, the only thing that is exclusively unique to you is your journey. Share that with the world too.

You Don’t Have to Be A Genius

Back in March, I read a book with the same title as this post – “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon. It was a relatively short read and his message was simple.

The book talks about the value of process, and how sharing your process with your audience can have as much impact on them as the final product, or even more. They could learn to create their own results from your experience or find some motivation that they can apply to their endeavours. Sharing our processes can provide many value points, such that the final product only serves to cap things off.

For many, questions like “What if I’m not that good enough?” might come up. Thankfully, Austin was able to answer such questions. The first chapter of the book is titled “You don’t have to be a genius”.

There you have it. You don’t have to be a genius to share your work with the world. We have already stated that the process that yields the result is a value point on its own. This eliminates the pressure to have a perfect run. Knowing that your failures and missteps count as valuable stuff, you’re less concerned about the perfection of what you’re sharing with the world. The most important thing is to teach what you know while you continually update your work.

It is also important to note that just as with solving math problems, there are often various ways to arrive at the same answer. Different people can apply different principles and procedures and produce the same result. There’s no ultimate way that guarantees success. You have the ability to chart your unique course while pursuing your goals, and your novel path might turn out to be someone’s solution.

Putting Together A Scrapbook

At this point, I suppose we all agree that it is beneficial to put our imperfect works out there. The next issue becomes… How exactly do we go about putting together a scrapbook where we get to show all our workings?

The online space has proven to be the most efficient way to connect with our desired audience. Depending on what form of content we decide to package our “scrap” in, there are several platforms and means to share our progress –and failures– with our audience.

You can utilize existing platforms that allow for content sharing, such as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and many others out there. Alternatively, you can carve out your personal space online by creating a blog site dedicated to sharing your work and progress. If you haven’t picked it yet, this is my own scrapbook:). Whatever means you decide to work with, what matters is that you’re showing your work.

As a closing note, I’ll leave you with an excerpt from Austin Kleon’s book…

“Document your progress and share as you go so that others can learn along with you. Show your work, and when the right people show up, pay close attention to them, because they’ll have a lot to show you.”

“Show Your Work!” by Austin Kleon