Stop stalling. Seriously, let’s get going. What are you waiting for?
Stalling is an excuse.
Procrastination is an excuse.
Writer’s block is an excuse.
I’m not saying that these are not real challenges* that we all face. But what you do in the face of a real challenge is what defines your character.
I have my periods of low creativity just like anyone else. In the times where it’s flowing, you feel unstoppable. But when it’s not, the blinking cursor is insufferable. You have to come up with strategies for how to push past it. Creativity is not a gift from the heavens, it’s about getting to work and doing so consistently.
Yes, there will be times when creativity doesn’t flow. When it’s a real struggle. But creativity is not just about creating, but all the things around it as well. There are a lot of other tasks that support creativity: Planning, organizing, editing, refining. If you’re feeling not so creative, then do some operational work instead.
As my wife always says, “all forward motion counts” (quoting from Cameron Crowe’s Elizabethtown). So make some forward motion, even if you don’t feel like it. Don’t succumb to the excuses, just get going and make some forward motion!
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*I’m stalling right now, actually. I have a deadline for a really complex project. It’s intense work, so I’m here instead, writing this piece. It’s still forward motion, right? I know, I know—back to work now!
The music is a part of my project called the Mobile Sound Lab, where I am experimenting with two concepts:
- Use simple tools to impose limitation on the creative process. Restriction can be freeing in the right context, and can actually help by governing decisions. You be the judge of the results!
- Attach an idea to an instrumental song. The only real connection between music and concept is the title. The experiment is to see if it gives either more carrying power.
For the full set: http://bit.ly/MobileSoundLab (please share!)
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“Stop Stalling” Copyright 2015 Control Mouse Media, LLC
This music is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 4.0) U.S. License.
Published by Control Mouse Media, LLC Boston, MA http://controlmousemedia.com
Some rights reserved. Unauthorized use is a violation of applicable copyright laws.