Good example, and I think that's really common. But do you regret it? Do you think it would have been better to stay focused on shorter stuff? I think mission creep can actually result in some good things too.
99% of the time I don’t regret it. And I started on longer stuff and it’s only recently I’ve been writing more short stuff. I think it’s because I’m just too tired to get into long stuff and it’s reflecting in my writing.
My initial 10k word (short story?) I wrote for myself “mission creeped” into 260k 3-book series which I hope to have published by the end of the year… also, I was chair of local high school grad night for class of 2021–peak covid shutdown and I still rallied the parents to raid 30% more than average, so we decided on making the kids a memory book. I ended up learning how to create a 64-page mini yearbook using photos and quotes submitted by kids, parents, and teachers. “By my self” as a toddler often says. That project was a severe time suck and “scope creep” for sure!
The term gets altered slightly to "Scope Creep" in the IT/business world, but the concept is absolutely identical. It's ubiquitous. I wonder sometimes how much english phrases/idioms like this get translated to other languages. Is there a similar turn of phrase in French, or Mandarin?
Yes, scope creep! I've been there with software projects before. Ugh!!!
You got me curious about other languages (because of course), and I found this delightful German word: auftragsverschiebung. Apparently it's something like "shift of assignment" - hopefully some of our German speaking friends will see this and let us know if that really gets used around offices, but it's a pretty cool word!
I think mission creep is closely related to the concept of sunk cost fallacy. Once you've committed to a course of action, you might be reluctant to change gears even when it becomes clear that you're well over your head - after all, you've invested all this time/money/effort going that far, it'd be a shame to stop halfway. Right? Right?!
Yes, completely, and this is a very good observation. I will add this: sunk cost fallacy is a very easy way to keep mission creep going once it gets started, although there are other initial reasons for it to begin. The amount that sunk cost comes into play is probably roughly proportional to the amount of time that has passed since the project first began, gradually moving from passenger to driver.
Mission creep happened with me and writing. I didn't set out to write a bunch of books, I was just bored one day. It snowballed from there.
Good example, and I think that's really common. But do you regret it? Do you think it would have been better to stay focused on shorter stuff? I think mission creep can actually result in some good things too.
99% of the time I don’t regret it. And I started on longer stuff and it’s only recently I’ve been writing more short stuff. I think it’s because I’m just too tired to get into long stuff and it’s reflecting in my writing.
I’ve got one thats keeps coming up on a current project - pulling the thread on a sweater
My initial 10k word (short story?) I wrote for myself “mission creeped” into 260k 3-book series which I hope to have published by the end of the year… also, I was chair of local high school grad night for class of 2021–peak covid shutdown and I still rallied the parents to raid 30% more than average, so we decided on making the kids a memory book. I ended up learning how to create a 64-page mini yearbook using photos and quotes submitted by kids, parents, and teachers. “By my self” as a toddler often says. That project was a severe time suck and “scope creep” for sure!
That sort of sounds like going for a walk in a tar pit!
The term gets altered slightly to "Scope Creep" in the IT/business world, but the concept is absolutely identical. It's ubiquitous. I wonder sometimes how much english phrases/idioms like this get translated to other languages. Is there a similar turn of phrase in French, or Mandarin?
Yes, scope creep! I've been there with software projects before. Ugh!!!
You got me curious about other languages (because of course), and I found this delightful German word: auftragsverschiebung. Apparently it's something like "shift of assignment" - hopefully some of our German speaking friends will see this and let us know if that really gets used around offices, but it's a pretty cool word!
I think mission creep is closely related to the concept of sunk cost fallacy. Once you've committed to a course of action, you might be reluctant to change gears even when it becomes clear that you're well over your head - after all, you've invested all this time/money/effort going that far, it'd be a shame to stop halfway. Right? Right?!
Yes, completely, and this is a very good observation. I will add this: sunk cost fallacy is a very easy way to keep mission creep going once it gets started, although there are other initial reasons for it to begin. The amount that sunk cost comes into play is probably roughly proportional to the amount of time that has passed since the project first began, gradually moving from passenger to driver.
Start with the creep, end with the sink.
I've been down this terrible real-life rabbit hole more than once. It is not fun.