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Feels a lot like 48 laws of power, but sort of different. probably the same.

Everyone is playing, whether they like it or not.

Maybe there are rules, maybe there aren’t.

Here's what I've noticed, in no particular order:

Make one thing good first, then replicate.

Watch those who’ve won, and those who’ve lost.

Understand the board. Especially the pieces pointed at you.

Go direct. Half-measures cost twice as much.

If you aren’t invited, don’t ask to go.

Never make the first offer in a negotiation.

If you’re going to speak, say what you mean.

The person who cares least has more control.

Play the long game. Everyone else is sprinting.

Might add more, might edit, or delete later.

p.s. The game doesn't end. You just get better at seeing it. Or worse, you start enjoying it.

The Rules of the Game

comprehensive guide on creative fluency covering: components (motion, data, automation, composition, transformation, input, output), syntax (how components combine), and meaning (what gets created)

Learning the Language of Creative Problem-Solving (technical overview)

The source text describes creative problem-solving as a learnable skill, comparing the process to gaining 

. The author argues that creativity is not a mystical process but is composed of 

seven distinct building blocks or "components,"

. Achieving creative fluency requires mastering three levels: 

 (how components combine to form new ideas), and 

 (understanding the purpose behind the components to communicate intentionally). By seeing creative challenges through this 

 and recognizing which components are in play, practitioners can find multiple entry points to solve problems, allowing solutions to 

 rather than being forced. The ultimate goal is to 

most ppl dont think abt it that way. they think its inspiration or vision or some magical thing that either happens or doesnt.

but once u see the building blocks? u cant unsee them.

at first ur translating. english → spanish. word by word. sentence by sentence. its slow. clunky.

but at some point? u stop translating. u start 

creative problem-solving works the same way.

most ppl are stuck translating. they see a problem and go "what tool fixes this?" or "what tutorial did i watch abt this?"

but when ur fluent? you start auto-mapping the problem to components. 

u see multiple entry points. u can rotate it, approach from different angles.

solutions dont have to be forced. they just... emerge.

here's what im talking abt. the building blocks underneath everything u make.

text becomes video (not just image → video, actual narrative flow)

audio becomes visual (waveforms, reactive compositions)

typography moves (kinetic type, animated layouts)

time unfolds intentionally (storyboards, scene flow, cuts)

numbers become narrative (data viz that tells stories)

images become palettes (mood extraction, vibe translation)

styles become patterns (fingerprinting, recognition)

feelings become search terms (semantic search, find by vibe not keyword)

batch processing (apply logic to 100 things at once)

prompt templating (repeatable creative input systems)

version control for visuals (track iterations, compare paths)

rapid comparison (A/B testing frameworks)

layout generation (grid logic, spatial systems)

component libraries (modular design blocks)

3D staging (object placement, lighting, POV)

layering logic (collage engines, depth, hierarchy)

changing form. preserving (or destroying) meaning.

texture mapping (surfaces, materials, finishes)

parametric design (rules that birth forms)

screenshot automation (document what u see)

annotation workflows (mark up, layer thoughts)

voice → text → concept (thought capture)

asset pipelines (concept → delivery flow)

multi-format export (one source, many destinations)

presentation automation (deck-building systems)

once u know these components exist, ur brain starts doing weird things.

someone shows u a creative problem and ur mind automatically starts rotating it.

u gain multiple entry points to the same challenge.

bc here's the thing—most creative problems can be solved through different component combinations. there's no 

maybe u solve it through automation + iteration. or maybe through transformation + composition. or maybe some weird hybrid that doesnt have a name yet.

fluency means u can see all the options. not just the first one that comes to mind.

u also need syntax. “the grammar” or underlying ideas that are represented by tools. 

like—motion + time doesnt exist in isolation. it combines with data translation (animated data viz). it layers with composition (choreographed layouts). it feeds into output delivery (exported as video, gif, interactive prototype).

the combinations are where things get powerful.

and just like language, some combinations feel natural. others feel forced. some break rules in ways that create new meaning. others just... dont work.

fluency is knowing which combinations make sense. and when to break the rules intentionally.

abstract visualization of creative components flowing and connecting

Creative Fluency: Components, Syntax, Meaning

Treasure. Seems like everyone's chasing it.

Something out there. Something bigger. Something that'll finally prove the work was worth it.

 actually teaches: the treasure isn't the destination. It's who you become while searching for it.

Santiago starts as a shepherd. Simple life. Safe life. Predictable.

Treasure buried at the Egyptian pyramids.

Most people would ignore it. Write it off. Stay comfortable.

Santiago doesn't. He leaves everything behind and goes.

That's the first lesson. The pull exists for a reason. When something keeps calling you, it's not random. It's your life trying to tell you something.

The desert doesn't care about your dreams. It tests you. Breaks you down. Forces you to figure out what you're made of.

Santiago loses his money. Gets stuck working for a crystal merchant. Falls in love and has to choose between staying and continuing.

Every step strips away who he was. Every challenge builds who he's becoming.

The journey isn't punishment. It's preparation.

You don't find what you're looking for by accident. You grow into it. The person who starts the journey can't hold what's at the end. The process makes you ready.

The shepherd turned seeker. He's the version of you that asks "what if?" and actually goes.

The guide who doesn't hold your hand. He knows you already have the map. His job is to make you trust yourself enough to use it.

The nudge from the universe. He shows up when you're doubting everything and reminds you: the signs are real. The path is there. Move.

The cautionary tale. He dreamed of Mecca once. Now he just talks about it. Proof that settling feels safe but slowly kills you.

Love that doesn't cage. She understands Santiago has to go. Real love doesn't demand you stay small. It cheers you on, even when it hurts.

The overthinker. Studies alchemy in books but never practices it. Knowledge without action is just noise in your head.

The question isn't whether you should listen. It's whether you will.

The fear of suffering? Always worse than the suffering itself. Every time.

When you actually move toward something, doors open. Signs appear. Help shows up. But only after you take the first step.

If someone needs to hold you back to keep you, that's not love. Real love says: go become who you're meant to be.

The journey changes you. That's the point.

You're not supposed to stay the same. The transformation is the treasure.

The world's greatest lie: "We lose control of life, and fate takes over."

When you really want something, the universe conspires to make it happen.

If your dream feels impossible, you're probably on the right track.

Joy, jealousy, and fear—what you feed shapes your soul.

Things done with love and purpose echo louder.

Intuition connects us all—it's the unspoken map of life.

We all learn differently, but we're all seeking the same thing.

Life is what's happening right now—not later, not someday.

Freedom isn't being static or wandering; it's doing what feels right.

You must love the desert, but trust it? Not so much.

Where your heart is—that's your treasure map.

Faith in God is seeing His greatness through this world.

You can't outrun your heart, so you might as well lean in.

The fear of pain is always worse than the pain itself.

Happiness comes from within, not from things.

If no one believes in your treasure, dig harder.

Your eyes reflect the strength of your soul.

Don't interfere with someone's dreams; find your own.

Facing death often makes people truly live.

Love transforms and elevates the soul of the world.

When we love, we push ourselves to be better.

What happens once may never happen again. But twice? It's inevitable.

Life is generous to those who dare to follow their legend.

Dreams are the universe's way of speaking to you. Pay attention.

Santiago crosses a desert. Loses everything. Finds the gold buried back where he started—under the tree where he first had the dream.

The shepherd who dreamed of treasure couldn't have done anything with it. He wasn't ready. The journey didn't just lead him to the gold. It made him someone capable of holding it.

That's the trick. You don't just find what you're after. You become the person worthy of it first.

The messy middle—where you're lost, broke, doubting everything—that's not wasted time. That's the work. That's where you shed the old version of yourself and become someone new.

The treasure is the evidence. The journey is the transformation.

What keeps showing up in your thoughts, your dreams, your quiet moments?

And more importantly: who do you need to become to actually find it?

The treasure isn't just out there. It's in the becoming.

P.S. The treasure isn't permission to stop searching. Finding it just means you're finally ready to hold what you were always looking for.

Mystical doorway opening to golden light with treasure chest and cosmic symbols - The Alchemist journey metaphor

The Alchemist — Must Read

in fact i hate the idea of being known just to be known.

to affect change in the world, you have to communicate. you have to say something. and when u say something loud enough (or for long enough), people notice.

bc i dont particullarly care for the ideas of fame. 

i just want to make/create/build things that matter. want ppl to feel something. be apart of a shift. maybe see the world a little differently.

and being seen feels like selling out sometimes. 

like ur chasing attention when all u wanted was connection/collaboration.

maybe fame is just the tax you pay for having something to say?

or maybe im justifying why i have to do the thing i dont wanna do.

either way—silence is preferred, but we live in a strange time.

most communication now is one-way. user to the world. the world... 

bc in reality everyone's talking at the same time.

we listen to others talk at us, but the dialogue? fragmented. broken. we used to use follows and likes to communicate. that still exists sure, but now its more like impressions and views.

the ones who want to create. who have things to say. who actually care abt the work.

but dont want the spotlight. dont want the performance. dont want to become the 

maybe the answer is just... do it anyway?

make the thing. say the thing. let it reach whoever its supposed to reach.

and if that means some level of visibility? fine. but not in a way that feels like chasing views or clout or whatever. the fame isn’t the point.

the connection—even if its messy and one-sided and filtered through screens—thats still the point.

keep talking. keep making. keep showing up.

just i guess be sure not to confuse attention (fame) with the intention (the process).

Abstract representation of communication and visibility in the modern digital age

Riley Schatzle

Full-Stack Builder

Creative Problem Solver

Systems Thinker

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