What matters more in creative work: vision or action? Should you start with vision and derive action from that, or begin with action and let a vision evolve? I recently had a conversation with a friend about this inherent struggle for creatives, and the answer is not obvious.
The difficulty lies in the fact that both ways work. There's evidence for both approaches yielding the form of success that creatives seek. What seems to be true is that one doesn't work without the other. So it's a balancing act unique to every creative.
If you act without vision, you run the risk of taking shots in unrelated directions, ultimately slowing down the time it takes to reach your version of success. Pure action without clarity on how your actions compound and harmonize hurts your effectiveness.
Meanwhile, contemplating your vision and not taking clear action exposes you to the risk of overthinking and being stuck in "paralysis by analysis." Ultimately, it's about the work you do, not the bright future you envision.
So both elements are needed for creative success: a focus on the work and doing work for its own sake, and a clear vision that drives clarity, which in turn drives "performance" and outcomes. I conceptualize it as interacting forces that inspire one another. Through action, you can refine your vision, and your vision focuses your actions.
So what should you start with? I think action takes precedence. You need to get going first and do the work. But you need to make space and time to contemplate your vision with the new data points you gather through your actions. One doesn't work without the other. And finding the balance is a deeply individual task that may look different for each creative.