Introducing Worth the Make (LABs)

Have you ever started a project and just… never finished it? If you answered yes, then LABs might be for you.

Worth the Make: LABs is a series of project challenges where I (and interested participants) commit to a project plan for 4 weeks. To read more, check out the dedicated FAQ. Hope to see you at the starting line!

Graphic contains an image of scrapbook paper on a desk.

This article was originally published 2024-02-25. For more recent information on the Worth the Make program, please consult the dedicated FAQ.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Have you ever started a project and just… never finished it? Or have so many ideas for things to create, skills to learn, habits to implement… but couldn’t choose where to begin?

If you’re looking for a place to start, then welcome to Worth the Make, a series of self-guided projects & challenges I call “LABs” where I pick a theme, a desired end result, put together a project plan, and attempt to achieve the goal of the LAB project over the span of 4 weeks.

It is a public documentation of my journey, of growth and of self-directed learning using side projects, with a bonus: you get to participate, too.

Tell me more.

As with one of Worth the Wake‘s core themes, “community”, Worth the Make is meant to be a shared journey: one where I (hi!) and anyone who chooses to participate can grow and have fun together. Think of it as an experimental project guided by a head scientist, a self-improvement quest with your guild, or an exploration mission to new territory.

Launches of new LAB projects, as well as optional weekly check-ins, will be done through social media (and eventually, through the YouTube Community tab and maybe Discord).

Some examples of what a LAB could be include:

  1. (Theme: ORGANIZATION) Organize your digital files.
  2. (Theme: EXPLORE) Do something that delights you each week.
  3. (Theme: INNOVATION) Create an app mockup in Figma.
  4. (Theme: CULTURE) Learn everything you can about a country of choice, and make a PowerPoint presentation on it.
  5. (Theme: COMPOSITION): Learn the basics of video production.

How does it work?

A typical LAB project will have the following structure:

  1. Each LAB project, challenge or mission will be announced through social media. Projects will come with both a specific goal as well as a theme, if you prefer to do your own thing but still be thematically similar to what I’ll be doing!
  2. Before each LAB project begins, I’ll be posting project resources on my blog in the resource library. The resource library will include all the tools you need to get started, and a project plan detailing what I’ll be doing for the duration of the LAB.
  3. Join a LAB by heading over to the Notion database located in Resources, filling out a quick form and reading upon the project plan, or syllabus. You are also free to create and link a public tracker: a shared document, Google Sheets workbook, Notion note, etc., that allows others to see your progress.
  4. During the LAB, feel free to post your progress through your public tracker, through social media (#worththemake or #wtmlabs), and/or join the discussion on Instagram and/or Twitter/X. Weekly reflection templates are also available if you want to reflect on your progress.
  5. At the end of the LAB, if you’ve met the requirements set in the project plan, award yourself a completion badge.

Note that Worth the Make, in its current stage, is quite new! In the future, there will be changes and upgrades to the facilitation process. The idea is to have a minimum viable product to start off, and go from there.

(For updated and full details, please refer to the dedicated FAQ.)

How do I join?

Simply head on over to the Resource Library and select the LAB you’re interested in! Real-time LABs that have been recently announced are marked as active. Fill out the form, along with an optional link to your own public tracker.

And that’s it! If it’s a live run, start the project along with other participants and myself on the official start date, or start the project on your own time and set your own goals. Make sure you read the project plan beforehand if you prefer this to be a guided experience. And, as this is a self-guided project with no stakes (or as many stakes as you give it), you are free to stick it through until the end, or quit at any time.

Are you ready?

If you’re eager to get started, keep an eye out for the upcoming LAB project, which will be officially announced through Instagram and Twitter/X:

AVPROD 101: Learn the basics of video production.

And with that, I’m signing off! See you at the starting line,

— Kharis (Worth the Wake) 🌻

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