How to stop procrastinating & start creating (a thread)
Section I: The Laws of Art
Just as there are laws of physics, there are also laws of art.
The laws of physics dictate how high a ball will bounce. The laws of art dictate whether you’ll bring your art into the world, or whether your unmade art will die when you die.
Just as there are laws of physics, there are also laws of art.
The laws of physics dictate how high a ball will bounce. The laws of art dictate whether you’ll bring your art into the world, or whether your unmade art will die when you die.
Law 1: There is Art Inside You
Some people think of “art” as paintings or macrame, but art is more expansive than that.
Your art is your experiences, interests, even your compassion for others, integrated into something that touches other people.
Some people think of “art” as paintings or macrame, but art is more expansive than that.
Your art is your experiences, interests, even your compassion for others, integrated into something that touches other people.
Law 2: Art is Self-Actualization
By definition, there isn’t a you-shaped hole in the world where your art neatly fits.
What seems natural to you, the world will call into question. While creating your art, you’re also creating your true self.
By definition, there isn’t a you-shaped hole in the world where your art neatly fits.
What seems natural to you, the world will call into question. While creating your art, you’re also creating your true self.
Law 3: Your Ego Fears Your Art
Most people think ego simply causes us to boast or brag.
But ego also causes fear & self-doubt. If you make your art real, you run the risk of failure.
So your ego helps invent guilt-free excuses to procrastinate.
Most people think ego simply causes us to boast or brag.
But ego also causes fear & self-doubt. If you make your art real, you run the risk of failure.
So your ego helps invent guilt-free excuses to procrastinate.
Section II: Find the Fuel
To bring your art into the world, you’ll need to bypass the forces of cultural programming, & ego.
You need high-octane fuel to reach escape velocity. These sources of fuel are also great sources for powerful ideas.
To bring your art into the world, you’ll need to bypass the forces of cultural programming, & ego.
You need high-octane fuel to reach escape velocity. These sources of fuel are also great sources for powerful ideas.
4. Curiosity First
Curiosity is powerful fuel for motivation, & originality.
If you’re truly curious about something, you can work harder on it than anyone.
Also, your curiosity will lead you down disparate paths. When those paths converge, you’re untouchable.
Curiosity is powerful fuel for motivation, & originality.
If you’re truly curious about something, you can work harder on it than anyone.
Also, your curiosity will lead you down disparate paths. When those paths converge, you’re untouchable.
5. The Voice
When an idea takes off, it’s because that idea expresses something people were already thinking.
Stop ignoring your internal chatter, & start creating a dialog with that chatter.
If you’re thinking it, others are too. Be the first to put it into words.
When an idea takes off, it’s because that idea expresses something people were already thinking.
Stop ignoring your internal chatter, & start creating a dialog with that chatter.
If you’re thinking it, others are too. Be the first to put it into words.
6. Go for ‘The Pump’
Art is telepathy.
The way you feel when you’re making your art – that’s how others feel when they see it.
Pursue ideas that make your blood pump harder, and you’ll make others’ hearts race, too.
Art is telepathy.
The way you feel when you’re making your art – that’s how others feel when they see it.
Pursue ideas that make your blood pump harder, and you’ll make others’ hearts race, too.
7. That Which Pulls You Through
There’s one thing in your psyche that won’t allow you to fail:
A wound, a memory, a passion? Search your mind for what that one thing is.
Whenever you feel like you’re ready to give up, remember that one thing. It will pull you through.
There’s one thing in your psyche that won’t allow you to fail:
A wound, a memory, a passion? Search your mind for what that one thing is.
Whenever you feel like you’re ready to give up, remember that one thing. It will pull you through.
Section III: Winning by Beginning
To make your art real, you have to get started.
But a series of mental roadblocks make getting started seem impossible.
There are simple ways to bust through these roadblocks.
To make your art real, you have to get started.
But a series of mental roadblocks make getting started seem impossible.
There are simple ways to bust through these roadblocks.
8. The Fortress Fallacy
We tend to dream way belong our abilities.
We dream of building a fortress, when we haven’t even built a cottage.
Keep dreaming of your big project, but start with a smaller, similar project.
We tend to dream way belong our abilities.
We dream of building a fortress, when we haven’t even built a cottage.
Keep dreaming of your big project, but start with a smaller, similar project.
9. Inflating the Investment
We overestimate how much time we need to invest to get started.
There are tiny pockets of time we can use to feed ideas to our unconscious.
Take notes on your phone while waiting in line. Mentally create while riding the bus.
We overestimate how much time we need to invest to get started.
There are tiny pockets of time we can use to feed ideas to our unconscious.
Take notes on your phone while waiting in line. Mentally create while riding the bus.
10. The Linear Work Distortion
The final product has little to do with the actual process.
Books aren’t written straight through, films aren’t improvised in an afternoon.
Find the starting point of least resistance, & let your process grow from there.
The final product has little to do with the actual process.
Books aren’t written straight through, films aren’t improvised in an afternoon.
Find the starting point of least resistance, & let your process grow from there.
11. Permission to Suck
You can’t get good at something without first being bad. But perfectionism stands in the way of progress.
Give yourself permission to suck.
You’ll get started, & it will turn out better than you expect.
You can’t get good at something without first being bad. But perfectionism stands in the way of progress.
Give yourself permission to suck.
You’ll get started, & it will turn out better than you expect.
12. Motivational Judo
In Judo, you use your opponent's energy to your advantage.
In Motivational Judo, you use the forces of your own procrastination methods to propel yourself forward.
For example: Set a timer to write for only 10 minutes. You’ll keep going.
In Judo, you use your opponent's energy to your advantage.
In Motivational Judo, you use the forces of your own procrastination methods to propel yourself forward.
For example: Set a timer to write for only 10 minutes. You’ll keep going.
13. Crack the Whip
What good is starting if you can’t finish? Find the “lead domino” in your project.
If you start there, the other parts come easily.
For example, start writing a book by building a landing page for a 30-day writing challenge. Then send to your email list.
What good is starting if you can’t finish? Find the “lead domino” in your project.
If you start there, the other parts come easily.
For example, start writing a book by building a landing page for a 30-day writing challenge. Then send to your email list.
If you want to know more about how to stop procrastinating & start creating, with stories of Maya Angelou, Stephen King, & others, check out my book, The Heart to Start.
Seth Godin calls it “solid advice.” Some say it "reads like fiction."
Get it here👉amazon.com/Heart-Start-In…
Seth Godin calls it “solid advice.” Some say it "reads like fiction."
Get it here👉amazon.com/Heart-Start-In…
