Over the years I've learned two important things:
- Just do it
- Train of thought is king
Okay. I'm sure I've learned more than those two things, but they definitely stand out above the rest. :-)
Just do it probably applies to everything in life. It was, I think, one of the best marketing slogans of all time when Nike came out with it. That concept has been with us throughout time. It implies making a decision to take action, and also implies that you probably had something in mind leading up to that, more likely than not a very well formed idea, and that you're hesitating. Just do it. Exercise. Take the next step. Form that business you've been planning.
Write.
Inspiration rarely strikes when you can act on it. Waiting for inspiration leads nowhere fast. You may have experienced this. I'm guessing you have. So ... what to do? If you can't wait for inspiration the thing to do, the only thing, really, is to create it. I've found this can actually be done. Inertia is a bitch and you first have to overcome that. However, if you "just do it", if you sit down and, as some writers have described it, stare at the screen (or paper or wall or whatever) until your eyes bleed ... inspiration will come. I've done this experiment. It works. If you, analytically and with full malice aforethought, sit down to do the thing you know you want to do, remove all distraction and just begin, inspiration will come. Sometimes it takes 10, 15, 20 minutes or more, but it will strike and you'll be off.
Which brings me to my second observation. Train of thought.
This is important, and can derail (badump bump) not only getting started, but making progress. Studies were done some time ago with programmers (programming, like writing, is a highly creative area that requires focus and train of thought), and it was found that it took anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes to get into the zone where they were rolling and producing. A distraction in the middle of that and they had to kind of get back up to speed. This applies to writing as well.
If you're getting distracted or interrupted 4 times an hour you may sit there trying to write the entire time and get nothing done. That many little distractions may seem harmless enough, and might only take 4 minutes out of your 60 -- or even less -- but they throw you off your train of thought and, by the time you're getting up to speed again -- another distraction and there goes your hour.
Create the space you need. Distractions come from you as well. Sometimes even more than external. A few minutes in you decide you're getting nowhere and check your Facebook feed (I hope I'm not interrupting your inspiration right now), or think of some other little thing you need to get done ...
It can be insidious. Early on I learned how important it is to make that space and keep your train of thought at full steam once you have it.
I've said this before, but I believe everyone has (at least one good) story to tell, and probably a song to sing, a painting to paint ... Unlike music and painting and other forms of art, however, anyone can write. We can sit down and write our story. It's also easy as hell to share.
So I ask you. Are you writing yours?
#TeamStarAngel
TeamStarAngel.com
