Dear Creative Minds,
True creativity is not just about having great ideas; it’s about the boldness to act on them, even when the terrain is unfamiliar.
In moments of uncertainty, we’re reminded that creativity doesn’t wait for clarity; it creates clarity.
It teaches us that discomfort is not the enemy; it's often the birthplace of innovation.
The real victory is not in flawless execution but in the refusal to be paralyzed by rejection or the temptation to settle.
What sets truly creative individuals apart is not brilliance alone, but the unrelenting pursuit of possibility.
When we choose to stay curious, to prototype rather than postpone, and to persist rather than settle, we step into the rare space where ideas begin to move from imagination to impact.
That’s where transformation happens; not just in the work, but within us.
Let’s explore further…
In 2020, during the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was tasked with leading a fast-paced design project that turned out to be one of the most defining moments of my creative career.
We were commissioned to solve a growing problem for a fast-food chain: how to efficiently deliver meals during the lockdown. The pandemic didn’t create the problem; it merely exposed it more acutely. With people unable to walk into restaurants and traditional delivery systems overwhelmed, the need for a streamlined, digital ordering experience became not just desirable, but urgent.
Reframing the Challenge
As a design strategist, I knew we couldn’t just jump to solutions; we needed clarity. So, I set out to conduct qualitative research, interviewing the employer, some team members, and a cross-section of customers. I wasn’t just looking for complaints; I was looking for patterns, points of friction, and possible windows of opportunity.
That’s how we reframed the problem:
“How might we make food ordering and tracking through a mobile application efficient?”
This shift helped us go beyond just “building an app” and focus on the experience itself. It allowed us to ask better questions and explore ideas that met users where they were.
When Innovation Meets Simplicity
The solution we co-created was something I hadn’t worked on before, a WhatsApp-integrated chatbot for food ordering and delivery tracking.
It wasn’t the flashiest solution. We didn’t have the time or the luxury to build a full-fledged mobile app from scratch. But we had to innovate within our constraints. Many customers were already using WhatsApp daily. Why not build the experience into a tool they were familiar with?
Of course, prototyping this at a low cost was tricky. At first, it felt like an uphill climb. But our curiosity paid off. We discovered a third-party open API that allowed us to build the chatbot with basic functionality: menu browsing, order placement, order tracking, and even customer feedback—all inside WhatsApp.
It worked. Check the project here
Creativity Demands Courage
Looking back, I can say this with confidence: creativity will always demand something from you. It demands risk. It demands discomfort. And more than anything, it demands persistence.
Adrian Shaughnessy put it perfectly:
“Creativity is about risk-taking, it’s about the rejection of comfort, and it’s about sweat—not the sweat of fear but the sweat of hard work.”
We didn’t land on a perfect solution right away. There were iterations, rejections, technical hiccups, and times we doubted the outcome. But the discipline to show up, test again, and improve again—that’s what made the difference.
The Power of Not Settling
You may have dreams, goals, and a picture in your mind of what your future could look like. But if you’ve been stuck or discouraged because the path isn’t clear or because someone told you it’s “too late” or “already done”—let me remind you: don’t settle.
One of the greatest enemies of creativity is the idea that “this is good enough.” Sometimes, we’re so eager to be done with something, we convince ourselves that what we have is all there can be. But deep down, we know it’s not the vision we saw. So we settle.
But not giving up isn’t just about staying in the game; it’s about holding out for what truly reflects your vision. It’s about staying in motion until the idea becomes what it’s meant to be.
Persistence is the Real Differentiator
Leslie Owen Wilson once said:
“As far as creativity is concerned... what separates truly creative minds from those who are less creative is the aspect of persistence.”
That line hits deep. Creativity isn’t just having an idea—it’s having the will to bring it to life. It’s one thing to dream. It’s another to keep dreaming even when nothing around you supports that dream.
And yes, we now live in a world that’s saturated with ideas, apps, and AI. But what the world will always need is the human behind the idea, the one who dares to keep going.
Inspiration for Today
So here’s my encouragement to you:
That idea you’ve shelved? Dust it off.
That rejection that stung? It’s not the end.
That thing you’ve never tried before? Explore it.
That problem you’re seeing? Maybe you’re the one to solve it.
There’s no smooth road to success. But there is always room for those who don’t stop. And in a world constantly changing, the ability to stay curious, courageous, and persistent is one of your greatest assets.
You’re more capable than you think. Keep pushing. Keep asking better questions. Keep creating.
The future belongs to those who do.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)
Cheers,
‘Seun.
