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Side Projects

Side Projects

How I generate ideas for, manage, and work on meaningful/less side projects.

zachleat

March 02, 2013
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  1. SIDE PROJECTS
    This ain’t my main gig.

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  2. @zachleat
    http://www.zachleat.com
    Filament Group

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  3. A creative endeavor
    that isn’t your primary
    source of income.

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  4. Maybe you’ve
    heard of:

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  6. Side project of:
    Ben Gibbard
    of Death Cab for Cutie

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  8. —The
    White Stripes
    Side project
    of:

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  10. ‘s
    Side Project

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  12. Side project
    of:

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  13. allow you:
    SIDE PROJECTS

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  14. a fresh, independent
    perspective.

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  15. a creative outlet.

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  16. an opportunity to
    learn something new.

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  17. What would
    you do if money
    were no object?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siu6JYqOZ0g

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  18. SIDE PROJECTS

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  19. A few of my
    SIDE PROJECTS
    http://www.zachleat.com/web/projects/

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  20. http://www.alarmd.com

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  21. http://www.alarmd.com

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  22. http://www.alarmd.com

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  23. http://www.alarmd.com

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  24. http://www.alarmd.com

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  26. http://www.zachleat.com/projects/Malarquee/

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  27. http://www.zachleat.com/bigtext/

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  28. A few of my favorite
    SIDE PROJECTS

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  29. http://whatcheer.com/

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  30. http://whatcheer.com/

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  31. http://whatcheer.com/

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  32. How to decide what
    to work on?

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  33. I have a book.

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  34. (Well, it started as a
    notebook. Now it’s in
    Evernote.)

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  35. All of my
    ideas
    go into
    the book.

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  36. “What if I could…”

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  37. “Why doesn’t this…?”

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  38. “Man, it’d be cool if…”

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  39. But, I also have
    a few Rules.

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  40. #1
    It doesn’t matter how weird
    or unachievable the idea is,
    it goes into the book.

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  41. For example,

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  42. A Gritty
    Mary Poppins
    Reboot

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  43. Spoiler:
    She’s a
    drug
    dealer.

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  44. #2
    Never work on an
    idea right away.

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  45. #3
    Revisit achievable
    ideas; order in a big
    list by Motivation &
    Complexity.

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  46. can be:
    SIDE PROJECTS

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  47. Esoteric.

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  48. should be:
    SIDE PROJECTS

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  49. Simple.

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  50. For example,
    a NSFW Url Shortener

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  51. Fun.

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  52. For example,
    a multiplayer online
    Ouija board.
    Credit to @davatron5000

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  53. For yourself.

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  54. For example,
    a real Deal with It
    Glasses kit.

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  55. @zachleat
    http://www.zachleat.com

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