Degree Of Difficulty

In Olympic sports where a competitor performs a routine for judges, a big factor in scoring is degree of difficulty. Assuming all things equal, an ice skater who lands a triple axel will beat out the skater who didn’t try. A gymnast who pulls off a triple double on the floor routine like Simone Biles did gets the gold. In platform diving, the “reverse one and a half somersault with four and a half twists” is impossibly hard to complete and thus carries a high weighted score.

Speaking of diving, who could forget Thornton Mellon pulling off the “Triple Lindy” in Back To School.

But I digress…

When evaluating our passion project, a good thing to keep in mind is its degree of difficulty.

Writing the “Great American Novel” or just completing a book to show our family and friends?

Wanting to top “Citizen Kane” or just make a short film to learn the basics of filmmaking?

Creating the next Apple Computer or just a business to put some extra cash in our pocket?

One is no more valid than the other. It’s just important to know what we’re trying to achieve and how difficult it is. That honesty informs our road ahead, the potential obstacles, and the length of time it’s gonna take.

And either way, whatever we’re doing, we do it with excellence. For ourselves, our fellow artists and the audience we seek to serve.