Staring at a blank page when trying to create anything from scratch – a presentation, a cover letter, or a renovation design for your kitchen can be daunting.
This is where I always start, trying to do it all myself. And then after making progress in dribs and drabs, I remember something that gets my ideas flowing and speeds up my output.
“I’m not the first person to do this. There are existing examples I can look at for ideas!”
You might have heard the phrase from Isaac Newton,
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Isaac Newton
Meaning that we build on the knowledge of those who came before us.
The science of giants
When we look at someone else’s work whether it’s a CV template, a cashflow spreadsheet, or a business model, our brain gets a kind of shortcut.
In behavioral psychology, this is called social modeling. Coined by Albert Bandura, he proposed that we learn not just by doing, but by watching.
Seeing someone else’s results gives shows us what’s possible. It turns our abstract ideas into something more tangible. But someone else has done the groundwork work for us!
Hard work = valuable work?
Most of us have a belief tucked somewhere deep down that real creativity, or real work, is supposed to be hard. Unless we struggle with the blank page and go through the hard work ourselves then it doesn’t “count.”
And while while there is some truth to this statement in a learning context – that we actually need to put in the thought to learn something (not just use ChatGPT).
The same principle doesn’t apply to our belief of what’s valuable.
That is caused by the effort heuristic – the idea that the more effort that went into creating something then the more valuable it must be.
But the truth is, struggling unnecessarily doesn’t make your work better. It just slows you down.
Sometimes the wisest move is to start where others left off.
In fact, behavioral science shows we’re more likely to take action when we have a clear starting point – a model, an outline, a path someone else has walked.
This is known as choice architecture.
When you reduce the friction of starting, you increase the likelihood of follow-through.
Finding your giants
So the next time you’re staring at a blank page, or struggling to get started with something, ask yourself:
- Who has done this before?
- Where can I find examples of this?
- Have I done something like this before?
These are all brilliant places to find your giants.
- YouTube – just type in the thing you want, and someone will probably have made a video about it!
- Books – biographies, memoirs, or thought-leadership in your area of interest
- Podcasts & interviews – long-form conversations often reveal the thinking behind the work
- Talks & lectures – TED Talks, keynote speeches, recorded panels
- Mentors – people you know personally or professionally who’ve walked a path you admire
- Online communities – forums, blogs, Reddit threads, or niche groups where people share stories and lessons. I always seem to end up on Mum’s Net (despite not being a mum!)
- Case studies & career paths – “day in the life” videos, or behind-the-scenes content
- Your network – friends, family members, or colleagues
- Websites – go to the websites of businesses and creators about that topic
Don’t feel guilty for looking around.
Find your giants. Learn from them. Build on what they’ve already made and make it your own.
Emily xx