Talking, illustrating and writing
Deep thinking, failed walks, and the power of conversations—unveiling my process of ideation and thinking.
Catalyst, Crutch and Clarity about thinking
I have watched many videos of writers on writing. They are videos of David Perell’s show “Why I write?”.
In every interview, the writer is asked about their ideation and thinking process. Many have given some interesting answers. But, one underlying theme would be when they let their minds wander while walking(or any other physical activity).
Simultaneously, while I have been going through my blog roll last couple of weeks. I have found a similar sentiment with bloggers who wrote about their writing process.
I struggled to comprehend this advice.
Main part of my work-job is to think deeply. Also, in my pursuit to write more regularly over here and at digital homestead. I decided to be little more deliberate about the ideation and thinking.
So, to put the walking advice to test. I went to the KBR park in Hyderabad. It’s has ~ 4 KM walking track in the heart of the city. Instead of running like I normally do. I did walking. No in-ear music/podcast for company. Just me in my pursuit of some stimulated ideas.
Spoiler alert. It turned out utter and complete failure. Throughout the walk I observed other walkers. Got to see that there is a book reading club in KBR park as well. Overheard multiple conversations. Fortunately, I was spared from the booming real estate topic that has spread across the Hyderabad city.
Later that week. I had engaged in conversations with ex-colleagues, mentees and current colleagues. It dawned on me that my ideation happens when I am talking. I am simultaneously generating multiple other strands of thought while communicating with people.
It is weird.
Yet, I have a couple of ideas to write about because they fundamentally are my answers to questions that I framed while having the conversation with an other being(maybe AI in the near future). This doesn’t mean I have the answers but I am willing to pursue the question.
Answering my own questions are more engaging in comparison with questions from an another person.
Just to display a sample of questions occupying my mind. All bi-products of different conversations I have had in the past 2 weeks.
- When Govt. of India is running multiple funds or incubators in agri. Is it the largest disbursal of capital compared to all VC fund raised in ag-tech space for FY23-24?
- Marketplace building in logistics is sub-optimal for a startup. The value of the service may be pegged to the quality of service of the counter party you help matched? Also, you are not bringing any new supply or demand to the market in most cases.
- Product development is flooded with frameworks. Is it because abstraction into frameworks helps present a coherent and inclusive approach. Caters to a broader audience? Instead of narrating case studies(detailed micro experience) where the onus of deriving lessons is on the reader.
Such questions turn into inputs for me to think deeply. The output of them would be a published doc/post/newsletter. But, the outcome is spending focused time thinking and making it clear in the process of writing it down.
The other crutch that I use to focus my thinking is trying to illustrate the idea. They are like training wheels for my brain to process and spit out a coherent prose. All of which is pegged to a silly illustration.
Round up
Primary Farming Smile curve
It just happens that one of my illustration got featured in a prominent agri-space newsletter, Agribusiness Matters’s issue. Venky who publishes it featured an illustration of stakeholders in primary farm ecosystem represented in a smile curve.
Evolution of Trust
In legacy domains like agriculture and logistics. The off hand remark form serious professional parroting the claim that business is all about relationship and trust.
I am not sympathetic to claim. But, let’s leave that for an another day.
One of the tools that made me unsympathetic to the claim was this game by Nicky.
It is a role playing game which is 30 minutes long. A game theory simulation is action.
You should play the game. Your take on trust will definitely change. Mine changed when I played it in 2020 for the first time.
Links that resonated
Just say no to marketplace
Janette writes about failure of marketplaces in US agri commodities market.
At a 30,000 foot view, it makes complete sense that a digital marketplace is the most efficient way to transact for agricultural commodities. But agriculture doesn’t happen at 30,000 feet. It happens at ground level, and that’s where things get messy.
My conservative guess is that since 1998, somewhere between $3 and $5 billion have gone into various attempts at establishing digital marketplaces for agricultural commodities in the US
Sign off
The benefits of ideating, thinking and writing have helped me become a better operator. Also, progress in my career.
My unpacking of it is to share that we each have our own ways. Walking is not for me. But, might work for you.
Signing off till next time,
Vivek, instead of thinking to walk , why not walk and see if you can think.