Project (n). an individual or collaborative enterprise that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim.
Early on, I told myself I didn’t want to have a career. I wanted to have a life in projects.
It went well with my being a television producer, where we would work on a show (a project) for two weeks or two months, or two years before moving on to the next thing.
In the meantime, I would launch my own projects. Comics, podcasts, greeting card companies, and literary social networks.
While each of these ideas was exciting in the beginning, I eventually lost sight of the goal (if there had ever really been one), and the energy petered out.
That eventually took its own toll, and I found myself with less energy to start new projects.
To combat the midlife crisis most of my projects seem to face, I put together this project manifesto. Seven steps to guide the development, life, and death of a project.
Project Manifesto
- Projects should have a purpose.
- Projects should be experiments.
- Projects should have a start and end date.
- Projects should encourage learning.
- Projects should have a budget.
- Projects should be managed.
- Projects should have the possibility of failure.
Now, the Project Manifesto expanded (but not too much).
1. Projects should have a purpose.
When we decide to do one thing, we are also deciding not to do a thousand other things in its place.
Projects that are just for fun take the time you could be earning more money. Projects that are intended to earn money take time away from relaxing.
By knowing the project’s purpose, you can be clear on what it’s for, and what may need to be sacrificed to keep the project on track.
2. Projects should be experiments.
Experiments have a hypothesis. IF we do [this project], THEN [this happens]. This can help to keep the big picture in mind.
3. Projects should have a start and end date.
An end date gives us a moment to check on if our project has achieved what we hoped it would, or if we need to reassess.
An end date can also be a check-in date or a renewal date, but a project can’t simply continue forever. If it’s making money, the project becomes a job. If it’s not making money, then it’s a hobby.
4. Projects should encourage learning.
A project is a controlled environment to test out an idea, and it’s best if this gives you a chance to work on a new principle, skill, or technology.
5. Projects should have a budget.
Whether this is time or money, a project needs resources allocated to it. Otherwise, it’s just an idea taking up space in your mind.
Evaluate this before starting the project. If you don’t have the time or money to get it to the finish line, save the project for another time.
6. Projects should be managed.
There should be a periodic check-in to see how well the project is progressing, as well as the roadblocks that are keeping it from moving along as you’d expect.
Without these check-ins, projects stagnate and die.
7. Projects should have the possibility of failure.
Failures aren’t fun. They are worthwhile, though. If your project can’t fail, if it can’t fall short of your goals, then what makes it worth doing?
When handled well, though, a project’s failure should be considered progress. It’s only really a failure if it doesn’t a) help you better run your next project, or b) teach you something about yourself.