Celebrate the Middle

We often focus on beginnings, when a new idea feels exciting, or endings, when everything is polished and complete. But what about the middle? The messy, uncertain, work-in-progress stage?

This week, we challenge you to pause and celebrate where you are right now.

Instead of waiting for the perfect, finished version of your work, share something unfinished, in-progress, or even stuck. Take a moment to appreciate the effort you’ve already put in.

Creativity isn’t just about the final product. It’s about the process.

The Challenge Prompt

Your mission this week: Share something that’s halfway done.

• Choose a project that is still in progress.

• Resist the urge to polish it or make it perfect.

• Reflect on the work you’ve done so far. What’s working? What’s challenging?

Give yourself permission to celebrate your unfinished work.

Creative Examples to Inspire You

Here’s how you can approach this challenge based on your creative discipline:

Visual Artists

• Share a half-finished painting, a rough sketch, or an early concept.

• Show the first layers before the details come in.

• Capture your workspace mid-process, mess and all.

Writers

• Post an excerpt from a work-in-progress story, poem, or essay.

• Share a paragraph or dialogue that is still rough but has potential.

• Show handwritten notes, brainstorming sessions, or crossed-out ideas.

Designers

• Reveal the wireframe or early drafts of a design project.

• Share an unfinished layout before refining the details.

• Show color palette explorations or typeface tests.

Musicians

• Record and share a first draft of a song or melody, even if it’s rough.

• Show early lyrics or chord progressions.

• Share a voice memo or raw recording from your songwriting process.

Optional Add-On: Reflect on Your Process

After sharing your unfinished work, take a moment to reflect:

• How did it feel to celebrate something unfinished?

• What does progress look like for you?

• Does sharing your work mid-process help you appreciate the journey more?

Consider sharing your thoughts alongside your piece. Your insights might help others embrace their own creative process.

Closing Encouragement

We spend so much time chasing perfection that we forget to celebrate the progress we’ve already made. This week’s challenge is about recognizing that creativity is a journey and every step matters.

So don’t wait until it’s perfect. Share your work in the middle. Show the messy, the incomplete, the in-progress. Every masterpiece was once unfinished.

Want to share your work-in-progress? Tag @SimplexCreativeClub and use #SimplexChallenge to celebrate the beauty of the unfinished.

Let’s celebrate the middle. Find something in progress, share it as it is, and take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come.