Have you ever felt like you have so many ideas, and so much inspiration, but nothing ever comes of these brilliant ideas? We have all felt stuck at one point in our lives or had periods where we aren’t producing our craft. For writers, this feeling of being stuck is called “writer’s block,” and is a common phenomenon. I believe feeling inspired but not knowing what to do with this inspiration is something that every creative person has struggled with at one point or another.
There is a practical reason why it can be difficult to implement ideas: the part of our brain that deals with creativity and inspiration, and the part of our brain that deals with structure and logic, are opposites. So many artistic people have the creativity part down pact. But they never seem to get anywhere because they lack the necessary structure to implement their ideas. You can have all the incredible ideas and sparks and visions. But if you aren’t productive with your creative ideas, your talent is wasted.
What better way to illustrate this point than to give a personal example of someone who is creative but also productive? Someone I take inspiration from is my husband who’s been a musician for more than half of his life. In the area we live in, he’s found success; he has his own teaching business, he performs in his band regularly, he gets commissioned to perform with other bands, and he just dropped a new album. I watch him go into his studio every night and not only work on the creative side of things, but also the practical side of things with organizing shows and reaching out to clients. My husband has both the inspiration and the structure to cultivate his talents, which is why he has found success.
There is a duality that exists between energy and consciousness. The energetic part of us is the one that has all the ideas, and wants to do all the things, and derives all the inspiration from life itself. The conscious part of ourselves is the one that creates the container for our energy to flow. Consciousness is the part of ourselves that gives the structure and discipline to bring our ideas into fruition.
In other words, many of us have brilliant ideas, but lack the discipline to make anything of them. Maybe you lack the structure to implement any of your ideas. Maybe you are too stuck in your own head. Maybe you have a great idea but then doubt yourself out of starting before you can so much as lift a pencil. Maybe you are stuck in a rut. The harsh truth is ideas are meaningless in your head with no one around to witness. Ideas are meant to be brought out into the world.
Many creative people lean into the energetic part of themselves but lack the conscious part that gives them the discipline to sit down and write that book, or choreograph that dance, or practice the piano. They sit around for days, weeks, months, years, waiting for the motivation to do something. They grow jaded when time has passed, and they haven’t made anything despite everyone telling them how wonderful their ideas sound. This is because motivation is fleeting, and you cannot rely on it to become successful.
Discipline is a habit we form over time, whereas motivation is a mindset or a feeling. As we all know, habits are here to stay while feelings come and go. Discipline is saying no laziness when there is work to be done, even though you don’t feel like doing it. Discipline says no to late nights out or endless scrolling on Instagram because it knows your talents will suffer. Discipline also knows that once you begin, once you build that habit, you become unstoppable.
“An object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object in rest tends to stay in rest unless an external force acts upon it.”
Newton’s First Law of Motion
This is good news, because it means that once you get into the habit or routine of practicing your skills or craft, you tend to stay in that habit and routine. Not only that, but you build momentum, and your productivity becomes exponential. Even if you start small, such as thirty minutes of writing per day, you will begin to feel accomplished and the gratification you get from writing will build upon itself. You will then want to write more, and you will build that habit like you’re building muscles.
The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
Proverbs 21:25-26
Proverbs speaks of the sluggard who is afraid of work. The sluggard wants to rest all the time instead of building his empire during the working season. Instead of working to grow his crops in the Spring and Summer, he lazes about; he moves slowly and when he eats, he “buries his hand in the dish. He won’t even bring it to his mouth!” As a result, the sluggard has no provisions during the cold months and rots away. From this, we can learn that rest is not truly rest if you’re doing it all the time. Learn to embrace work and learn to see work as a gift. The work it takes to bring your ideas into fruition is noble, and always worth it.
As creatives, we are called to bring our ideas out into the world. There is someone out there who wants to read your book or needs your photography services. We are called to be productive and share our ideas to enrich our communities and the world around us. The key is to use the logical side of your brain to figure out ways to make the space to create. If you lack the motivation, know that motivation is a farce, and you will become a slave to this farce. It is discipline that will propel you forward.