How to get to creative

"Paralyze resistance with persistence"
Woody Hayes

Most creatives call on a muse to inspire them. Could be a person, a concept, a spiritual guide, their guiding genius to motivate them as they hone their craft. For me, I have two (really one, just two different mechanisms to get there!). The Peloton bike and my Trek Checkpoint. Inspiration thru perspiration! The rotating movement of my legs on a journey to exhaustion allows my mind to quiet. That is when ideas come forward in my mind. Need me to write a blog, Peloton first. Need a webinar, get out on the bike and drift thru a section of gravel!

A few weeks into my job at Axis my manager reached out to me. I didn’t respond for about 45 minutes. New job, remote work. He’s concerned. What did I hire here? A month in and the quiet quit? When I called him back, I explained. “Look, you asked me to create my first webinar. My brain doesn’t just work that way. Need to calm the mind before wrestling with the keyboard.” A day later I sent him the presentation and the talk track. His response, “okay, I get it". My response “Sorry, maybe I should have mentioned it in the interview. For creative items, I need to be centered. Everyone has a method, this is mine”

Which brings me to this. My first webinar was rough. It took time. I rewrote it several times. I still don’t care for that first effort. Over time, the writing improved. The presentations became tighter. Persistence. Keeping at it. Never giving up. Going back and revising. It’s just like being out on the bike climbing a massive mountain or being motivated by your favorite Peloton instructor. Find clarity first then produce. In the comments section, you’ll find my latest blogs. Check them out!

Who or what is your muse? How do you find the right frame of mind to produce? What is your method?

Let’s have a conversation!