The idea dictates everything

Is a pretty good mantra, for your creative decisions.

Rather than thinking there must be a specific way to do something, or that there are confines and rules to the creative process, the real issue is whether you have an idea to begin with.

No idea, then you will be stumbling around. That can be ok for a while. I will sometimes find I just need to ‘start’ with no idea and see if an idea will come.

But once you have an idea, then that should dictate everything that you do.