Have you been feeling blocked creatively? Maybe there's a deadline looming for the project you're currently working on, and you just can't seem to get things moving.
You've got your paper, your tablet. You've got your pen. You're sitting at your chair, all ready to get started… But something stops you from creating.
It's almost like there's an invisible wall that's standing between you and the page, like there's just no breaking through or going around it.
Or maybe for some of you, it’s like the entire world has gone silent. As if it were on pause or on mute.
You're blocked.
Now, whether you call it a creative slump, mental block, writer's block, or just plain burnout, one thing is true: you just can't seem to come up with any ideas. Your mind's a complete blank.
In his book, "The War of Art", Steven Pressfield calls it Resistance. He describes Resistance as some malignant and malevolent force of nature bent of stopping us from creating...
To be honest, that's exactly what it feels like sometimes... it’s almost like there's something very real and tangible that's preventing you from producing your art.
Pressfield likens it to a dragon guarding a massive treasure trove, while we’re the knight with just a tiny sword and shield. It feels intimidating. It feels overwhelming. That’s why we’re suddenly filled with fear when we’re facing the blank page.
Now, Hollywood will often romanticize this part of the creative process and show writers just suddenly struck with inspiration that they can write an entire book in a single day, or a paint a masterpiece in an afternoon.
However, the reality of the creative process is often very different. The truth is, it requires more grit and effort to stay inspired and stay motivated.
So if that’s you, and you find yourself struggling to come up with ideas and create art, here are a few daily practices I’ve learned from others, and that I myself have found to be effective at getting me out my creative blocks.
1. Automatic Writing.
If there’s one thing that has helped me tremendously when it comes to overcoming blocks, it’s journaling. Don’t worry if you’re not a writer, or you aren’t good with words or anything like that. Because that’s not what this is about.
In her book, “The Artist’s Way”, Julia Cameron has this thing she calls the Morning Pages. This is something she recommends to all her students and clients, whether you’re an artist, an entrepreneur, a writer, a photographer… whatever. It doesn’t matter what profession you’re in, or whether or not you think you’re creative.
What she calls Morning Pages is basically automatic writing. Cameron recommends that you write in a journal or notebook (yes, we’re talking literal handwriting here) everything and anything that comes to mind.
You’re basically blurting out your emotions onto the page. It doesn’t matter if what you’re writing doesn’t make sense, or if it’s just you repeating the words, “I don’t know what to write,” over and over again.
The goal is to fill up 3 pages of automatic writing. As much as possible, you keep that pen moving without stopping. Don't censor yourself. Just write as much and as fast as you can, without worrying about what you end up writing.
Because the point of this exercise is not to try and make sense. The point of the exercise is to help you get over that inner critic. You know, the one that’s constantly telling you that your ideas aren’t good enough.
The more you’re able to flow freely onto the page with whatever stuff’s inside your head, the more you’re able to exercise silencing the inner critic or censor before they overwhelm you. This inner critic is the same Resistance that Steven Pressfield talks about.
And, in my own experience, I’m sometimes surprised myself by what ends up on the page. Sometimes, in the middle of all that rambling one or two good ideas suddenly sprout from it. And then I turn those ideas into my art.
Do this everyday and you’ll find those block slowly begin to melt away. Why?
Because you’re no longer censoring yourself. Instead, you’ve learned to allow yourself to trust that inner voice, and allow it to speak. The more you do that, the less and less you’ll feel blocked creatively. And Cameron’s students have all agreed that these morning pages have actually changed their lives, and not just creatively.
2. Give Yourself Permission to Suck
One of the biggest reasons why we sometimes find ourselves feeling stifled or blocked is because we often have high expectations for ourselves. Its' that perfectionism. Once we put something on the page, it had better be good… or else!
In her book “Bird by Bird” Anne Lamott talks about allowing yourself to write terrible first drafts (she uses a more colorful word, but the idea is there).
She says that your first draft should be self-indulgent. Let your inner child to play around and just write down whatever you feel like writing in the moment.
Very similar to Cameron’s morning pages.
The goal, again, is to silence the inner critic and censor that’s keeping you from creating. The goal is to beat and overcome Resistance by creating momentum for yourself.
Think about the snowball effect. At first, you start small, and it’s difficult to gain traction. But the further and further you roll downhill, the more momentum you gain. You gain more mass until you turn into this huge boulder that comes tumbling down the hillside. Creativity works in pretty much the same way.
Give yourself permission to suck at first. Because the goal isn’t to be perfect from the start. The goal is to gain enough flow and momentum that it becomes difficult for you to even stop.
3. Habit Formation: Showing Up Every Day
Science has shown that humans are creatures of habit. We tend to do things we’re already comfortable doing over and over again. These little things, from your morning coffee rituals to your bedtime routines are what help us function in society.
If you haven’t created a habit out of doing your work, yet, now is a good time to start.
I like this metaphor one author used (I forget who, exactly said it, or where I read it). Think about a sailboat. The only way it can move through the ocean is if there’s a tailwind that pushes it forward. But if the sails aren’t closed, then there’s no way that the boat can ever catch the wind.
Your goal, then, as a creative, is to keep your sails open all the time. And the best way to do that is by showing up in that chair, every day, at the same time. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get much done on some days. The point is to show up.
Bestselling author Stephen King touches on this in his book “On Writing” and talks about how he never misses a day of writing. Not even on his birthday. This is why he’s able to finish writing book after book, while George R.R. Martin still can’t finish writing the final volume to his Game of Thrones series. It’s the habit that sets these two writers apart.
No matter what you think of Stephen King and his work, his creative process is bulletproof. If you keep your sails up every single day, you’re bound to catch the winds of inspiration once they blow your way.
And now that I think about it, it might actually be Stephen King that made the sailboat metaphor. Don't take my word for it.
So to recap, the three things you should be doing every day so that you’ll never run out of ideas and overcome creative blocks are:
Do your morning pages, or automatic writing
Give yourself permission to suck
And make a habit out of making art
Hopefully, this was helpful. If you have any personal tips that you use to stay inspired and creative, feel free to share them in the comments.
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