Julian Shapiro
Let The Wastewater Run First
Inspired by Julian Shapiro episode
Julian Shapiro's Creativity Faucet says bad ideas must empty out before good ones arrive. Same with kids—the terrible solutions come first, and that's the whole point.
Julian studied how Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, and Neil Gaiman consistently create hits. Their secret? They know creativity is a backed-up pipe. The first mile is wastewater. You can't shortcut to clear water—you have to empty the garbage first.
Resist your bad ideas when writing and you never reach the good ones. Bad ideas aren't failure. They're progress. Your brain learns what makes them bad, gets better at pattern matching.
Your kid's trying to put shoes on the wrong feet for the ninth time. Insisted on wearing a winter coat to the pool. Attempted to "fix" the wobbly table with tape and yogurt. That's not them being difficult. That's wastewater emptying.
They're learning what doesn't work. Their brain catalogs failed approaches. Eventually—not today, maybe not this month—clear water arrives. Left from right clicks. Cause and effect makes sense. Actual problem-solving develops.
Only if you let the bad ideas run first.
