Writing Is Not My Priority

James Kahng
Aug 22, 2017 · 3 min read

I have a lot of things I think and want to write about, but that is not the main focus of my life at this time. My current focuses are game development, people development, and idea development.

In game development, I want to make something come alive and influence people around me in that seductive way art does. Good art really is like a trojan horse. Games come to you with compelling visual sights and story, and then at the very heart of it, it brings up something very important and shows you something about it you didn’t really experience in full before. Life, friendship, loss, accomplishment, values.

It infiltrates your jaded, tired self and wakes up that spirit inside you that has sat so long dormant. It digs through the calcified shells you form as you interact with society, hits your core and reminds you of what it means to be human.

That is what I want to create. Something that makes you feel alive. That’s the core of it.

In people development, I want to explore ways to shape the natural inclination of people around me so they are most inspired to work together. I want to find the best way to inspire teamwork and innovation.

There are few areas that I think best inspires people to go after something.

#1: Ownership. This is your baby. You have the power to grow this into something remarkable. We are aligned in our goals. Let’s make something great.

#2: Agency. Great ideas come from anywhere. You don’t have to stay in your box. You aren’t just a salesperson, you aren’t just an engineer. You can provide support to those around you, at least look for ways. And keep switching out to the big picture. How does this help our business?

#3: Growth. Remind people that what they see today is only the baby version of what we will be. If we place the foundations today and keep moving and thinking, our baby will be a strong individual one day.

This means don’t hope and wish, don’t blame for mistakes. They are inevitable in the journey. Instead, develop foolproof systems so we can’t misinterpret and keep moving forward.

In idea development, I’d like to continue exploring the delicate process of putting an idea to the test in the real world and seeing where the limitations of reason are.

My friend and I are exploring ideas for new business. I want to know if my ideas around marketing and product development are sound, or if they are way off base. Only real-world experiments can tell us. I am sure I will learn so many things about marketing through this. Perhaps gain a newfound respect for email blasts and clickbait titles.

To recap, I have so many ideas I want to write about that I think will help a lot of people, but that isn’t my focus at this time. If I continue thinking about ways it will help my other ventures, perhaps I can revisit it with more spirit, but for now, it isn’t my priority.

You know what… I really should write to cement my thoughts on my ideas and in the process, share my perspective with the world. I can “learn in public” as they say and publish the things I figure out. I’ll dedicate an hour to this on the weekend.

If that is my focus, then I can abandon things like making it look respectable and so forth for now. Just get the ideas out.

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