Inspiration Is Such A Drag
Gym shorts, the first pancake, and 2 ways to facilitate inspiration.
Inspiration is such a drag.
It seems like you have to wait for it to happen to you. It seems like you have to be struck by it. It seems like it just has to surprise you. It feels like something that’s totally out of our control. And the only thing that could make this even worse is the impossible magnitude of garbage platitudes you’ll find on the internet about it.
Just look at that metric ton of kitschy trash! ☝️
It’s unfair, really. It’s especially unfair if you’re in an industry that requires you to sell creative work.
Of course, I haven’t found a reliable way to simulate or even to spark inspiration. The best I’ve been able to do is use brute force.
Sometimes, the hard part isn’t being inspired. Sometimes the hard part is literally just taking the first step towards something—anything. It doesn’t even have to be precisely in the direction you’re trying to go. Sometimes just being directionally aligned is good enough.
“The hardest part of going to the gym is putting your shorts on.”
-Chris’ Dad
How’s that for inspiration?
This is a paradox of putting the pressure on but also taking the pressure off. You’re putting the pressure on because you’re making yourself do something, even if it’s just the first step. You’re taking the pressure off because you’re not expecting peak performance from your depressed and anxious body.
Brute force can be used to produce a low-quality initial output, with the idea that just getting the engine started will help produce higher quality subsequent outputs.
You know what it’s like? It’s kind of like the first pancake. The first pancake is always bad for some reason. Once the grill is hot, it’s all good. But that first pancake—what’s up with that? If you have no idea what I’m talking about, feel free to read this full-blown article from the Guardian about it.
Anyway, moving on.
I think the secret sauce in this brute force method is twofold:
Committing to doing something can sometimes create enough momentum to start the inspiration engine.
Building a habit makes this thought pattern easier overall to achieve and with less frequent stalls.
I wrote this post in December 2020 about using extrinsic motivation to your advantage. I think it’s relevant, but it’s not quite the same as inspiration.
What do you do when you’re uninspired to go after your mission?
I’d love to hear how you provoke this elusive, wonderful, and frustrating spark called inspiration.
Extrinsic motivation for the win!