More often than not, life's most important decisions require us all to make trade-offs.
A trade-off in economic terms is when a person chooses one action over another, giving up the opportunity to pursue the other option. Trade-offs are a result of scarcity and rational assumptions, and they are often expressed in terms of opportunity cost. Opportunity cost is the benefit that is lost from the thing that is being sacrificed.
“There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.”
― Thomas Sowell
When creative people sacrifice their time for things other than creating they are giving away one of their most valuable and coveted things. That dance between being present for family, friends, work etc. and the drive to get back in front of the easel can trip up the wisest and most experienced among us. Alternatively when creatives have time blocked off for creative endeavors sometimes even more challenging decision making puzzles come into play.
Creative people often will have a long backlog of creative project ideas. Some they've never ha the time to do and others may need more time to develop and maybe some that just did not make the cut.
Afterall, there is no scarcer resource for humans than time. We all only have 24-hours in each day. The average life expectancy in the U.S. 2024 is calculated to be just over 79 years. Time is not a renewable resource. Once it has passed, it is gone. So perhaps it is safe to say that in life nothing requires more keen awareness of the power of tradeoffs than the decision we make about how we use our time.
This is such an important idea. So much so you'd think there would be some easy to use tools to help people make better decisions related to how they use their time. In fact there are! There are several easy to use tools that can help. Some I like more than others. I like simple tools. Things like to-do lists, calendars, note pads, goal lists (with due dates), etc.
Few things bother me more than hard-fast rules and large all-encompassing systems that promise to solve all my problems. When I think about such things it can bother me so much so I can often feel ill -- as though they weaken me through their constraining nature. I can even find myself developing nausea and detect the onset of a headache.
Visceral reactions like this undoubtedly stem from real life experience. Experiences I’ve had wrestling with the aftermath of trying such systems that came with the promise of life changing results only to bring cumbersome, freedom killing constraints and disappointing results after all.
Don't get me wrong. I am not against all systems, nor do I abhor all procedures and processes. I am quite fond of these things when they have a reliably specific, localized impact and can even become enamored by them when they offer the flexibility needed to help us adapt to the unexpected and even unprecedented circumstances we can find ourselves in sometimes. Systems and processes are necessary and can be helpful in so many ways. I see these things as tools and as such it is important to have the right tool for the right job.
This is why from my point of view, as someone one who plays several roles in life and is trying to constantly balance my time amongst competing priorities, I see the importance on finding ways to evaluate how I should be spending my time so that I can tend to my priorities and still have time to create. There are some systems and processes that can help without any negative consequences. One of those is through the use of a rubric.
Once upon a time, when I was pursuing a degree in night school, while working full-time I was introduced to the benefits of using a Rubric to help with decision making, performance evaluation, resource allocation and many other complex decisions requiring trade offs. The concept of using Rubrics was introduced to me by one of my professors in a business school class.
The exact origins of rubrics are uncertain, but some say the theoretical roots of rubrics can be traced back to Benjamin Bloom** and his colleagues' work on the Taxonomies of Educational Objectives. Others say that Noyes first proposed rubrics in 1912 as a way to standardize the evaluation of student writing.
The word "rubric" comes from the Latin word ruber, which means "red". Centuries ago, manuscript writers would use red ink to set off special instructions or explanations in a book. This practice was also used to highlight saints' names and holy days in calendars, which is where the term "red-letter day" comes from.
In modern times, Rubrics are commonly used in education as tools to evaluate and grade student work. They specify the qualities to be evaluated in an assignment and describe what excellent, average, and below-average performance looks like for each trait. Rubrics help students understand how they will be evaluated and how to demonstrate their knowledge.
Rubrics can be a powerful tool for busy creators too, especially those with limited time, by providing a structured and efficient framework for evaluating projects and making decisions. Here’s how rubrics help:
1. Prioritization of Projects
Clarity on Impact: A rubric helps creators quickly identify which projects align most closely with their goals, skills, and values.
Focus on High-Value Activities: By scoring projects against dimensions like authenticity, skill development, and time allocation, creators can focus on the projects that deliver the greatest return on investment (ROI) for their time and energy.
2. Streamlined Decision-Making
Objective Assessment: A rubric removes guesswork and emotional bias, offering clear criteria to evaluate projects.
Time Efficiency: Creators can assess projects quickly and consistently, saving time compared to more subjective deliberations.
3. Encourages Intentionality
Aligns Efforts with Goals: By scoring based on future goals and alignment, rubrics ensure that time is spent on projects that help creators grow into the artists they want to become.
Identifies Misaligned Efforts: Low scores in certain areas signal that a project may not be worth pursuing or needs adjustments.
4. Balanced Resource Allocation
Incorporates Time Constraints: Dimensions like time allocation help creators realistically evaluate whether a project fits within their schedule without compromising other priorities.
Maximizes Productivity: By evaluating the potential impact of a project relative to the time it requires, creators can better manage their workload.
5. Facilitates Reflection and Growth
Tracks Progress Over Time: Rubrics can be used to evaluate completed projects, helping creators understand what worked and what didn’t.
Encourages Iteration: Reflection based on rubric scores allows creators to refine their process and focus on continuous improvement.
6. Enhances Confidence in Choices
Reduces Overwhelm: A rubric provides a clear roadmap, helping creators feel more confident in their decisions.
Validates Trade-offs: For part-time creators, a rubric can validate choosing one project over another, ensuring their limited time is used effectively.
By using a rubric consistently, busy creators can make informed, intentional decisions that align with their artistic vision and make the most of their limited time, all while fostering growth and minimizing regret.
Here is just one example of how a Rubric can be developed and used as a mean of facilitating creative decision-making. This Rubric is intended to help an artist answer the question, "will this project help me grow into the artist I am supposed to become?" If the built-in scoring system is used an artist can even conduct a comparative evaluation amongst multiple projects. Ultimately the comparison of scores can help objectify subjective criterion and better understand which opportunity is likely to serve as the best option at that time.
Dimension | 4: Fully Realized | 3: Moderately Realized | 2: Partially Realized | 1: Not Realized |
Authenticity | Fully embodies the artist’s unique vision. | Aligns with the artist’s vision but has external influences. | Partially aligned; lacks clarity or may be clumsily derivative. | Disconnected from the artist’s voice; feels inauthentic. |
Skill Development | Pushes the artist significantly; promotes mastery or significant progress through exploration. | Involves some skill development, though not fully stretched beyond current capabilities. | Relies mostly on existing skills with minimal challenge. | Offers no opportunity for growth or improvement. |
Emotional Engagement | Deeply engaging, exciting curiosity, or transformation. | Engaging but with moments of detachment or frustration. | Somewhat engaging but lacks sustained connection. | Draining or uninspiring for the artist. |
Risk-Taking | Significant experimentation. Evidence of bold creative risk taking. | Moderate experimentation or risk-taking. | Minor risks; mostly within the comfort zone. | Entirely safe or routine. Artist on auto-pilot. |
Future Goals Alignment | Clear step toward long-term aspirations. Or perhaps helps in discovery of long-term goals. | Aligns somewhat but lacks a clear connection. | Minimal relevance to aspirations. | Unrelated to the artist’s vision. |
Audience and Impact | Deeply engages audience; aligns with artistic dialogue. Draws out valuable feedback and insight. | Engages audience but with less clarity or impact. | Limited audience resonance or relevance. | Disconnected from audience or context. |
Time Allocation | Time invested yields substantial progress and aligns with priorities. | Time is used effectively, though some inefficiencies exist. | Time is somewhat productive but not well-prioritized. | Time spent feels wasted or misaligned with goals. |
Scoring Section
Add Time Allocation to the scoring criteria and adjust the totals accordingly:
Total Score | Interpretation |
28–24 | Strongly supports artistic growth and potential. |
23–18 | Meaningful but could push further in some areas. |
17–12 | Limited growth or alignment with aspirations. |
11–7 | Does little to support artistic development. |
Much like other methods used to systematize complex, dynamic decision-making this sort of rubric can become second nature once it is used, becomes routine and is internalized. Once that happens this whole process can feel as though it can be boiled down to answering the question does this next course of action feel "right?" If the answer is "yes" then the artist can start on their next creative adventure right away without delay -- and a ton of confidence on the new path they've started down.
Nowadays my personal decision-making process when comparing multiple creative project ideas runs very intuitively. It typically boils down to creating a list of things I am interested in trying. Then asking myself, which do I want to try most? What I am drawn to? ...and do I have a block of time available that will allow me to complete it without sacrificing time with family.
If luck favors me in the future and I am flooded with creative opportunities the use of this type of rubric will be one tool I turn to for help evaluating what to do next.
** Benjamin Bloom was an American educational psychologist who made contributions to the classification of educational objectives and to the theory of mastery learning.
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