“Everything looks shiny from a distance. Get up close, do the work, and find out which one actually has substance. Glitter fades. Gold doesn’t.”
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
Choosing a creative project feels impossible when everything seems equally exciting. The novel! The screenplay! The podcast! The children’s book! Each one sparkles like it’s THE ONE. And so you stand at the creative crossroads, spinning in circles, choosing nothing, creating nothing.
Here’s the secret nobody tells you: there is no ‘right’ choice. There’s only a CHOSEN choice. And the magic happens AFTER the choosing, not before.
The Project Selection Scorecard
| Factor | Question to Ask | Score 1–5 |
| Passion | ‘Does this excite me when I imagine working on it?’ | Rate honestly. |
| Purpose | ‘Who is this for, and why does it matter?’ | The clearer the answer, the higher the score. |
| Practicality | ‘Can I realistically finish this in the next 6 months?’ | Be honest about your bandwidth. |
| Progress | ‘Have I already started? How much momentum exists?’ | Existing work = head start. |
| Payoff | ‘What does finishing this unlock for me?’ | Financial, emotional, career—all count. |
After You Choose
- Announce your choice to someone. Accountability cements commitment.
- Set a 30-day trial. Commit fully for 30 days. If it still feels wrong after 30 days of actual work, you can switch.
- Remember: the unchosen ideas aren’t dead. They’re in the waiting room. They’ll be there when you’re done.
- Fall in love with the PROCESS of the chosen project, not just the idea of it.
Your Move, Creative
Score your top three projects using the scorecard above. The highest score wins. Commit. Start today. No more spinning.
Stop letting your stories stay stuck.
