Yup, we all know what I’m talking about. The dumb move you make where you didn’t save your glorious masterpiece and scream @#$% into the air.
Ouch.
I’m writing this as much for myself as you today – I did dumbass move. It’s the most un-motivating thing in the world – to lose the work you knew was so great. And no, I’m not yet in a position to wax lyrical about ‘signs from the universe’ and ‘the best work is yet to come’. I want to give up and quit.
Have you been here? Welcome to the club! Let’s open a bottle of wine. And we should probably get back to work…
How do we get out of this? I don’t often talk about why, but this is my question to myself today: Why am I doing this?
Are you writing/creating simply because it’s easy? Or are you committed to creating because that’s what you do – no matter how hard or easy it is.
This is a choice point. What do you want to choose?
- Give in and only do what you love when it’s easy?
- Or recommit to creating no matter what – no matter how shitty the outcome?
I’m going for the latter, want to recommit to creating with me?
My declaration: I will get off my ass and create/write/paint/speak (whatever your chosen outlet of expression is). Even if what I write next is absolute !@#$. I will get it out of my system so the next brilliant thing can be expressed.
We know we’re going to keep being an idiot and not saving our work. It’s not a perfect system. That’s what makes us creative. But my demand is that mistakes don’t stop my work. Mistakes don’t mean you should stop; they mean you should change tracks and start again.
So now I’m off to start again (and hit the goddamned save button). How about you?
P.S Looking for creative inspiration to keep working from home? Grab my checklist here (pretty enough to frame!) for your WFH office.