What do you think is the basis for great work? Where does it come from? How does it become established?

37signals talks about a philosophy that guides them, Chris Martin of Coldplay says he just doesn't want to screw up, and Jeff Tedford, head coach of the Cal football team, sleeps most nights on a cot in his office.

I used to watch my dad, who's an industrial designer and artist, as a young teen sketch out a horse or a house or car - anything I wanted - in a few minutes. It amazed me how he would bring lines to life.

I do think truly great work exists, created by innate talent and timing, and then it also has to interface with the world - a world that doesn't stand still - and that determines its greatness as much as anything.

I guess telling people to do great work without giving a guide or a path is kind of a lame, right? I mean, how do we know if we're creating great work?

I think you put it very well, and I'll paraphrase: a work is great when it resonates with an audience.

In my mind it has to resonate with just one person for a moment to be great.

I don't believe the size of the audience is sufficient proof of great work. How do we know if a great work will spread from one person to a million? Does it matter? I think most creators of great work say it does not matter, letting their inner belief, based on their assessment of the world and their work, guide themselves towards greatness.

Does great work have to be timeless? I would say no: let's treasure even ephemeral greatness.

[I could be wrong on both assessments: I'm not grounded in data and examples from research into greatness from experts.]

But it's how I define great, and it's how I guide myself. I choose not to concern myself with things out of my control, and in many aspects the degree and longevity of resonance is out of my control. I'll do what I can, I'll give it a shot to the best I know how, and I'll be happy with that.