The best, most frustrating quote about creativity comes from Ira Glass, the creator and host of This American Life. He says, "Nobody tells this to people who are beginners. I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be. It has potential. But your taste -- your taste is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you."

The best, most frustrating quote about creativity comes from Ira Glass, the creator and host of This American Life. He says, "Nobody tells this to people who are beginners. I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be. It has potential. But your taste -- your taste is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you."

Glass's quote resonates with many creatives because it highlights a common struggle. When we start out, our work doesn't match our high standards and expectations. We have a vision of what we want to create, but our skills and abilities fall short. This gap between our taste and our output can be frustrating and discouraging.

The truth is, most people never get past this phase. They quit because they feel like they'll never be able to bridge the gap between their taste and their work. But the reality is that even the most successful and talented individuals have gone through years of producing mediocre work before they reached their desired level of quality.

If you're just starting out or still in this phase, it's essential to understand that it's normal. It's part of the creative process. The most important thing you can do is to keep working. Put yourself on a deadline and aim to finish one project every week. It's through a volume of work that you'll be able to close the gap and improve your skills. It won't happen overnight, but you have to fight your way through it.

Creativity is not some elusive talent that only a few possess. It's a skill that can be developed through practice and repetition. It's about constantly reinventing yourself and your work over time. As Ira Glass summarized at SXSW in 2017, "Don’t wait. Just make the thing. Make a version, and then make it better and then make it better."

To create what truly matters, we need to close the gap between our taste, intuition, and ambitions and our actual abilities. We need to focus on creating a body of work that reflects our vision and values. Instead of striving to "be creative," our job is simply to create.

Just as great leaders inspire action, we can inspire ourselves and others by communicating our why. According to Simon Sinek, people don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have, but to do business with people who believe what you believe.

When we communicate from the inside out, we tap into the part of the brain that controls behavior. We connect on a deeper level and allow people to rationalize their decisions based on what we say and do. Gut decisions are made when the why resonates with our core beliefs and values.

This concept of starting with why applies not only to business but also to our personal lives. When we have a clear purpose and belief, we become more passionate and driven. Just like Orville and Wilbur Wright, who were driven by the belief that their flying machine would change the course of the world, we need a cause or purpose to fuel our actions.

Furthermore, if we want our ideas or creations to achieve mass-market success, we need to reach a tipping point of around 15-18 percent market penetration. It's at this point that the system tips, and widespread acceptance follows. But it all starts with communicating our why and attracting those who believe in our vision.

Ultimately, we follow those who lead because we want to, not because we have to. We are inspired by those who start with why and have the ability to inspire others. To create what matters, we need to connect with our inner purpose, close the gap between our taste and our abilities through a volume of work, and communicate our why to attract like-minded individuals.

In conclusion, creativity is not limited to a select few. Anyone can create meaningful things by bridging the gap between their taste and their skills through practice and repetition. To inspire action and achieve success, we must communicate our why and find others who believe in our vision. So, don't wait, just make the thing, make it better, and make it matter.