Most creative stalls come from unclear next steps, not lack of motivation.

Creative ambiguity is a red flag to the muse. The muse won’t hang around if you are unsure what to do even if your motivation is high. Maintaining high motivation is nigh on impossible. So how can we stop our creativity becoming an unbreachable path?

Motivation is unreliable

My alarm goes off. I don’t really want to get up. Some mornings are different though, I feel energised and ready to take on the world. Unfortunately, my motivation tends toward the first scenario.

The muse is also an elusive creature. There are two views, the first is go with the flow and see what happens, the other is to grab the proverbial by the horns and act. The muse doesn’t stick to a schedule but we can. Being creative isn’t about hanging around and waiting for the muse to drag us to the desk, or wherever we create. It is about going to that place and meeting the muse there, or even summoning them.

Ambiguity creates friction

So, do I do this or that? If we have this discussion with ourselves we are using creative energy the wrong way. In fact we are unlikely to use the energy to create and we will procrastinate on what to do. Getting to the desk in one thing, knowing what to do when we get there is something else. How many times have you placed your writing equipment, lined up your paints or pencils, opened that music creation software and then… nothing? Or perhaps you look longingly at your creative space and think, I’m just not quite sure what to do. Hint: just do something, push through the friction.

Large tasks trigger avoidance

Not knowing what to do is one issue, another is making that first step, or task, too big. If you think of creating something specific for just fifteen minutes you might keep going for another fifteen, and then even longer. But if you know your task will take an hour or more you are less likely to even begin.

I spoke about big goals last time out. It is the same here, your motivation is fine, but sometimes the task is just too big. Ambiguity creates friction, but so do big tasks.

Clear, tiny steps reduce resistance

Knowing what to do and keeping that task short and sweet will remove resistance. I used to have tasks that were too broad, I had tasks like draft blog, or edit blog. Now I have specific, short tasks like write 5 bullet points. Then expand bullet points to 300 – 500 words. Each task is clear, I know what I should be doing. And each task has an outcome, something that is tangible to take to the next step.

I used to have three or four vague tasks. I now have many more tasks, but they are all short and simple. Little steps are much easier than jumps into the abyss.

Progress restarts with clarity

If you know what to do it is much easier. If you are stuck in a creative rut and the muse isn’t on schedule then clarity is required. Projects that have stalled and lost their way can find new impetus. You still have to do the work, but knowing what next tangible step to take, will get your creative journey moving.

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter how small the task is. Work out what it is and then do it. It is easy to blame motivation, and that may be an issue from time to time. However, I have found that most of my creative projects stall due to not having a clear next step. What is your next small step?

---

Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox

If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest