Momentum is something to protect and treasure. When the wheels slow on a creative project or dream, drag happens. Discouragement is drag. Procrastination is drag. Overthinking is drag.
It is essential for your forward motion to keep the wheels moving and make something every day. It doesn’t need to be a masterpiece, or a game-changing creation, just enough to push the wheel and keep it spinning.
Too many creatives rely on inspiration alone and apply too little perspiration regarding their trajectory toward completion. How many half-finished projects that began with a bang and petered to a whimper languish on dusty hard drives? Too many to mention, I dare say.
There are way too many “once upon a times…” and far too few “…and they all lived happily ever afters”.
Being a starter is great, being a finisher is greater, and what happens in-between those two pillars of success holds the keys to all that you are looking for. The Bible teaches that we inherit the promises and reach our heartfelt goals through faith and patience.
Patience is the application of expectant pressure in one direction over a period of time.
Here are five ways to keep your creative wheels moving and build up steam behind your heartfelt goals.
1. Be accountable to yourself!
Your first responsibility is to yourself. How can you expect anyone else to appreciate your awesomeness if you don’t value it yourself? If you believe that you have something precious to offer the world don’t wait for permission before you begin. Make a quality decision to consistently create and make your work public on a regular basis. I like daily. Daily leaves no room for excuses. Even if it’s just a value packed post to Facebook, or a 150 character tweet, make it your absolute non-negotiable that you’ll offer something from your heart to an audience, even before that audience exists.
2. Make yourself accountable to others
Practicing in public, and committing to a content schedule, is powerful. Let others know that you will be publishing and stay true to your promise. Whether it’s a podcast, a blog, a song, or a recipe each week – whatever your wheelhouse and arena of service, step out from the shadows and go all in. If the thought of lying to yourself is not enough motivation to make it happen, knowing that others will hold you accountable will be.
3. Don’t wait for the mythical muse
William Faulkner said: “I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately I am inspired every day at nine o’clock.” Your are inspired. Not waiting to be, maybe will be one day, you are right now. God has filled you with His Spirit, and there is zero excuse not to create something today. The more ingrained this mindset gets the easier it is to sit down and tap the flow. And when the flow isn’t felt, do it anyways. You’ll be surprised how much greatness trickles through even the driest of days if you’ll only let it happen.
4. Make today your tomorrow
Today is yesterday’s tomorrow and yesterday you said you’d do whatever you said you’d do tomorrow so let’s get to it. Make today tomorrow and do it right now. Putting off what you want and need to do merely kicks your CAN down the road. Stop kicking your CAN with your CAN’T and bin your excuses. Prioritize your precious projects, and not just the urgent ones. Money drives too much of our time and energy in directions that carry us away from the arduous task of actually caring about our creativity! Only when we begin to learn and grow will our dreams transform into dollars. Overnight success is most often preceded by many days and nights that no one sees. Make your steps sure and carve out creation time in your schedule.
5. Appreciate your work
Believe me, especially in the early days, months, or possibly even years, you’ll need to be your own greatest fan! Cheer yourself on and enjoy what you make. Listen to it, read it, look upon it, wear it, eat it, smell it, speak it – whatever form your awesome takes be sure to encourage yourself along the way. Honestly, you are great, and the world outside your door is just waiting to catch up with that revelation. Don’t measure your worth by the world’s metrics. Even God stopped to turn and call His creation “good”. You should do the same!
