How to Get Out of a Creative Rut

Creating should be work, but it should also be fun.

I haven't written much on anything for the better part of the last two years. For context, I used to have a weekly column on Inc. and would contribute to numerous blogs around the web––that's because I loved it.

Then something happened.

I'm not sure if it was me falling out of love with writing/creating, getting too busy, or fearing judgment from others. Truthfully it could have been a mix of the three.?

I want to look at each of these and give a remedy that I've adopted for 2022 (and beyond).

Falling In and Out of Love with Creating

The love of creating is largely something we romanticize as creators. It's primarily tied to the idea of 'being motivated' when it comes time to put pen to paper. However, creating art requires daily practice.

I recently have gotten into the works of Steven Pressfield, author of books such as The War of Art and Turning Pro. Both books talk about the creative process and how we need to fight through the 'resistance' keeping us from creating. For me, I let resistance win the battle over the last two years, but I am committed to winning the war.

How am I doing this?

It's simple. For one set hour a day, I have to write. It doesn't matter if I get one word or 2000 on the page. The key is that I spend that hour with no other focus but putting my thoughts onto the page.

Finding the Time?

Not having the time is a false narrative we tell to make ourselves feel better about not executing. All the while, we continue to watch TV, play video games, spend time on YouTube, etc.?

Now, I'm not saying we need to cancel our Netflix subscriptions and move to a mountain shack with only a pen and paper in hand. I am saying that we need to prioritize what matters and schedule it appropriately.

We won't get much on paper if we only write when we 'feel' like it. That's why scheduling time and holding yourself to it is the only way I've known to get things done.?

As my life got more complex, with multiple moving parts, it became more apparent I needed to make some changes to create more frequently. As a business owner, my time accounted for from 9 am onward, and my brain is fried in the evening.

So I made 5-9 am my time. I get to read, create content, exercise, etc.

My only rule: no formal work.

That is called time-blocking, which became very popular in Gary Keller's book, The One Thing.?

"Time blocking is a type of scheduling that prioritizes what you do and when you do it. It's the act of making an appointment with yourself in order to get your most important work done." - Gary Keller

Getting Over What Other People Think

We're all too concerned with the idea that other people are thinking about us and judging our every move. In reality, most people are too focused on themselves to be thinking about us, and what we are/aren't doing. IE. they are not thinking about you!?

Psychologist Michael Gervais talks about this as the fear of other people's opinions or FOPO (read his article here). He says we need to recondition our minds to get out of this mindset, which ultimately limits our potential and causes us to play it safe.?

Who are we? What do we stand for? What are we passionate about? What do we want our life to become?

We should answer these questions, but the last one sticks out to me. What do I want my life to become?

There have been times when I've gone through the motions, not considering that life is finite.

But, life is finite, and the curtain will close one day. I try to remind myself of this daily, not to glorify death but rather to celebrate my current life. There is a stoic saying, "Memento Mori," which means you should remember the inevitability of death. And in doing so, it should fuel your actions for the present.

With that in mind, who cares what someone may or may not think about you? Because this life isn't a dress rehearsal.

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