Against Motivation
It reminds me of writing and how I wake up week after week and get stuck on the blank page again and again. How I always despair that I have no more good ideas and, even if I did, not enough eloquence to convey said ideas. But I love it still. I love how writing brings everything to the surface, how it generates and absorbs my attention. How it
... See morein praise of slowing down
Even creative work needs scheduling. The greatest writers and artists didn’t wait for inspiration. They kept a strict daily schedule for creating their art. A routine triggers inspiration because your mind and body learn that ideas emerge at that time. The world’s greatest achievements were squeezed into existence by deadlines.
Derek Sivers • How to Live: 27 conflicting answers and one weird conclusion
And while the act of creating is inherently unpredictable, we have to reject the idea that creative breakthroughs only appear out of nowhere. They actually show up when you’re consistently doing the work! A routine grounds you in something stable so you can take risks in your work without feeling unmoored in your life. It’s a kind of anchor that... See more