When You Run Out Of Ideas (Here's What To Do)
I’ve been reluctant to write and post on my blog. It’s been a lull, a writer’s block (if this block phenomenon is even real.) I felt like I ran out of ideas. Have you ever felt this way? It’s a silly question, I know. Everybody feels this way from time to time. Well, that state of being stuck in a creative rut keeps on bothering me. Reflexively.
If I were to ask myself, “why does it bother me?” I’d have to pause and delve deeper into the reasoning. For one, I set out to be a blogger and to truly be a prolific one means to post articles regularly. To be entirely honest, I’d have to ask, “why do I need to live up to anyone’s expectations?”
I profess to be a bit of a productivity inspiration figure. I notice too many people around me run around with various ideas, some great and some mediocre. Implementing ideas is something that adds satisfaction to living. I may even venture to say it plays its part in fulfilling the meaning of life. When I talk about ideas and don’t act towards making them happen, and observe the same happen to people in my circles, I feel like I’m betraying my being, my existence. Primarily by not getting things done for myself. Secondarily, but perhaps even more importantly, by not helping others unblock themselves and get productive.
Here is how you get your idea mojo back.
Step 1: recharge by doing simple things
- taking a walk
- doing a set of light (or hard) exercises (in a gym or in a park)
- treating yourself to a delicious healthy meal, eating it mindfully, fully appreciating the gift you give yourself
- meditating with the intent of calming your mind
- getting a good night sleep for several nights in a row
These simple things, especially when compounded, create miracles.
Step 2: write stuff down.
It’s not a secret that the process of putting our thoughts down on paper creates a magical effect of eliminating stupor.
Currently, as I’m writing this post at a neighborhood cafe while visiting Northern Florida, I’m going through this very exercise.
Step 3: take small (necessary) steps towards realizing a goal or an idea.
The point is to avoid becoming overwhelmed by a grand vision. If you use a wildly successful expert as a precise role model, you run the risk of paralyzing yourself.
Instead, do the absolute minimum first. My method consisted of opening a blank document in Google Docs and pasting the “why - what - how” schema to then fill in the blanks. For example, why running out of ideas bothers me, what the issue actually is and what methods can be applied, and how to resolve the problem (execution).
P.S. I was sitting on this post for weeks (now months) without publishing it. Yes, procrastination is real even for a self-professed guru type like me — lol.
If you have anything to add or spotted a typo, let me know by email or on social media. Your thoughts are always appreciated!
