Issue 6: Experimenter vs Finisher

Musings on Rick Rubin's "experimenter" vs "finisher" characterizations.

Dearest reader,

I hope this message finds you in a state of calm, safety, and curiosity. I’m writing today’s letter from a cafe near my apartment. It’s 31℃ and Earth, Wind & Fire is playing in the background. I was able to get a run in this morning and enjoyed feeling the sun beat down on my sweaty shoulders from a cloudless sky.

I recently read a chapter in Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act titled The Experimenter and the Finisher. In it, he presents two contrasting artist profiles: those with a natural tendency towards experimentation, dreaming, and play (the experimenter), and those possessing a natural tendency towards completing their work with conviction and clarity (the finisher).

The chapter is short—a single page—and it resonated so deeply that I’ve revisited it numerous times over the past few weeks.

As some of you may have already perceived—I skew heavily toward the “experimenter” side of the spectrum. In a given year, I might come up with dozens or even hundreds of raw concepts (“seeds”, as they’re described in Rubin’s book) and might be lucky to see even one such seed through to completion.

The chapter that inspired the framing of this week’s letter. Captured on iPhone on April 13, 2023.

My younger brother, in contrast, is a finisher. During his spring break last month, he asked me: “Reef, I want to make you something in my carpentry class. How about I make you a chessboard?” I responded, “Yes bro, that would be amazing.” He followed immediately: “I want to put an engraving on the side. What do you want to be engraved on it? ” I hesitated, contemplating the possibilities. He interrupted—“How about a music note?” “That sounds great bro, thank you.” “I got you.”

And with that, the conversation was over. His phase of experimentation had concluded in what may have been a maximum of 45 seconds. He had a clear goal at hand and his project was fully shaped. Now, it was just a matter of getting into the workshop and seeing the task through to completion. Only the craft and finishing phases of the process remained. I found it quite fascinating to observe how early on in life such traits can establish themselves as part of someone’s natural tendencies and intuitive personality.

Between now and the end of this year, I hope to step outside my comfort zone of the “experimenter” and into the shoes of a “finisher” more often. As a lightweight exercise to practice this muscle, I have a small announcement to share with you:

I’m preparing to drop a single next month and plan to have it available on your preferred streaming service on the 19th of May. <3

If you’re looking for ways to show support in the meantime, following my artist pages on Spotify or Apple Music will go a long way in helping build momentum for this release and those to come. (And—for those of you willing to go the extra mile—tell a friend!)

Thank you. More details soon. 🥁

Love,
Reef