Don’t Feel Like It? Schedule Creativity and Inspiration

A Crisp Sunrise (Click to View Larger)

I Don’t Feel Like Doing Stuff

You know what… I don’t feel like writing a blog post right now.

In fact I didn’t much feel like getting out of bed this morning. I didn’t sleep well.

Truth is… there are a whole lot of things that I don’t always feel like doing.

Today I want to talk a little bit about something that I’ve heard a lot of people say, and something that I am starting to realize in my own life.

…if you are going to do anything – sometimes you have to do it whether you feel like it or not.

You read that and you said, “well yeah! duh…”

But let’s unwrap it just a little bit.

Remember Where I am Coming From

Before I get to far I ask you to remember where I am coming from on this post. I am talking about my blog and my experiences as I am writing on it.

I’ve decided that I will publish a post here two times each week. I posted one on Monday. So that means I needed to post the second one for this week.

Why is this important you ask? Well… just remember that this blog is not something I am actively using for business. It is an “extra” thing that I do on the side of the other things that I do. So I don’t “have to” write here. (Although you could very easily make the argument that I should feel like I have to post here fairly frequently. SEO. Page Rank. Stagnant Content. etc…)

Where I’m coming from: This blog is something I do. It isn’t something I have to do.

The Separation Factor

So I guess we could go ahead and ask ourselves another question. Why do things that I don’t have to do and that I don’t feel like doing? I mean seriously. If I am not going to get something out of it, why do it?

Well here is the deal. I do get something out of blogging here frequently. Not only is it good practice for a large scale blog that I hope to launch in early 2014, but I also have a following here. It might not be a huge following, but it is a following none the less. They deserve content, I’ve told them I will deliver content at least somewhat regularly. I either need to hold up my end of the deal, or tell them that I won’t be delivering content anymore.

But the biggest thing that occurs when you do stuff that you don’t have to do… you gain separation.

Separation Is Important

In this day and age a person can spin up a website or blog in literally minutes.

If you are not showing that you are different in any sort of way, you are just another voice in a crowd that is shouting for attention.

Don’t be that guy (or gal).

One of the best way’s to separate your voice from the voices that are trying to drown you out is consistency. Consistent creation. Consistent content. etc…

Not only is your voice more focused and easily accessible when you stick to a schedule with your blog posts, but you also are training yourself. You are learning the important lesson of creating when you don’t feel like it.

I mean what is the difference between an impulsive writer who posts six times one week and then nothing the next week? The difference is that the impulsive writer is probably writing when they feel inspired, while the regular writer is writing every day or at least on a predefined schedule.

Who will ultimately have more interaction with their work? Most likely it will be the one who consistently creates and posts great content.

Why is separation important? If you don’t have some kind of separation in content, in consistency, in voice… well to be brutally honest. Your voice doesn’t matter, because no one hears it.

Inspiration and Creativity Can be Initiated

Here is the other interesting thing about creating stuff regularly instead of just when you feel like it. Inspiration comes to you as you give it opportunity.

You get fired up as you move yourself through what may have started as a “scheduled creativity” session. You create images you hadn’t even thought about as you walk downtown on a “scheduled personal photo walk.” Insert your thing and you will find it so with you as well.

It’s true of writing. It’s true of photography. It’s true of lots of things.

Initiate your inspiration and your creativity. You will be surprised when you see the results.

Action Points

So what does this mean for you?

Well, I guess you are going to have to think about that some on your own. But here is what I would recommend.

Spend a few minutes thinking about the things that you do in your spare time (or at work). Which of these things have you committed to doing regularly? Which of these things do you just do “when you feel like it?”

Then try this. Write out a schedule and stick to it for a month (or even two weeks). Put it on a calendar. Don’t let it go by. Create. Do. Be inspired.

Schedule your creativity and inspiration.

I think you will be surprised when you see the results. (and I’d love to hear about them!)