The Sound Only You Can Make

The Real Value of Creative Work

The blank page terrified me. I stared at it for seven years before writing the first word of my first book. Every new game design began the same way: an empty Word doc, a blinking cursor, and that voice in my head whispering, “What if it sucks?” It took my friends practically begging me to go to print before I finally launched Ascension 15 years ago. I still cringe at some of the mistakes from that first release. But after two decades and dozens of games, I’ve learned that creating isn’t about being perfect. It’s about bringing something into the world that only you can make.

When I graduated college, Fred Rogers (yes, that Mr. Rogers) gave the commencement speech. One story he told changed my life: World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma was teaching a master class. After a student played a melody, he looked up nervously at the virtuoso. Ma smiled, put a hand on his shoulder, and said, “Nobody else can make the sound you make.” The beauty of the performance wasn’t in technical mastery or external approval, instead it was in sharing something uniquely his. The student’s face lit up with the joy of being truly seen and heard. This insight extends far beyond music. Whether you’re designing games, writing stories, cooking meals, or arranging flowers—your creative voice is yours alone. The world deserves to hear it. But more importantly, you deserve to discover it.

Too often, we silence that voice before it ever speaks. We’re taught to believe that creativity is something you’re either born with or you’re not. Some people are “creative types,” and the rest of us are just meant to admire their work from the sidelines.

I believed that once, too. But creativity isn’t a rare talent; it’s a human need, and a skill anyone can develop. Watch any child with crayons and blank paper. They don’t ask, “Am I creative enough?” They just create. At some point, we start judging ourselves. We decide our work only matters if it’s excellent, or profitable.

That mindset is backwards. If Dungeons & Dragons has taught us anything, it’s that making things up as adults is fun. Just as importantly, with the right mindset, its available to anyone. The real value of creating isn’t in the final product; it’s in the process itself. When you create, you:

• Express your unique perspective on the world.

• Process and make meaning of your experiences.

• Learn through iteration and feedback.

• Connect with others by sharing your creations.

• Leave your mark on the world, however small.

The trick is to start before you feel ready. (Spoiler alert: you will never feel ready.) That fear you feel is the fear of being seen and not measuring up—not just to others, but to the impossible standards you’ve imagined for yourself. And funny enough, those standards are a product of your creativity too.

But here’s the truth: there’s no losing in creative work. Every attempt teaches you something. Creativity isn’t a divine gift for a chosen few—it’s a practice.

You don’t create because you’re good at it. You get good at it because you create. The world doesn’t need more perfect work. It needs more honest work. Your voice matters. Start sharing it today.