202512232251 The ecstatic is a North Star

How do we know when something we’re creating is good or not? How do we know it’s progressing in the right direction?

Call it joy, awe, or elation. [...] It is an arising of the ecstatic. [...] the ecstatic is animalistic. A visceral, body-centered reaction, not a cerebral one.

Often there is an intuitive understanding (202408021018 Intuition and instinct are implicit knowledge) of what good looks like when we’re working on something creative. We have a vision in our head, or a goal we want to accomplish, or a feeling to convey. Whatever it is, we get a sense of joy or fulfillment when our creation is working toward that end. We can use this to guide us. This can even work for less “joyful” projects like something at work. There is still a sense of gratification when you get that piece of code working, or nail a presentation.