Myth of Creative Inspiration

 

"Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old."

 Franz Kafka is considered as one of the most influential writers that the 20th Century produced. While many would remember him for his written works, a few would know that he spent much of his life toiling away as a lawyer for the Workers Accident Insurance Institute.

So it begs to question how this man was able to create such impressive works while holding down his fledging day job?

Strict Routine.

Morning to Lunch took up his time as his work got in the way. After which he would take a short nap till late evening. A brisk bout of exercise and a meal led to his few hours of focused commitment to his literary works. All before calling it a day and heading for bed.

One should never really discount a power a schedule or routine holds, as extremely difficult it may seem. Most of us would go about our day in a manner of impulsive habit. Lacking any firm structure. This would bring certain questionable results. 

Hardly producing any masterpieces.

If one would spend their precious minutes wasting away on what they must do next without the faintest clue they would be utterly wasting their time. Often losing their ability to do the task they set out for altogether.

The power of repetition in a slow and consistent manner every single day implies the ability for one to bring about some visual change to their lives. 

Take it as a simple activity of setting out for a morning run.

The initial barrier lies in the sudden resistance to ideals and beliefs over wanting to complete the task. If you don't specify the duration or the time one must set out for the scheduled run it leaves room for one to be erratic in their ways.

Once you break the glass ceiling of regularity, all that matters is showing up. Consistent performance is a different cup of tea that not everyone can muster all too well. 

We have our moments of highs and lows. All that matters is showing up.

Creative writing or writing in general is a dying art that has no great myth or cryptic meaning behind it. Many in the past have picked their paths and made it their own.

What matters is the system you follow to forge what works for you.

Negative remarks over a piece you're working own and the stern self critic nestled on your shoulder will often dissuade you from pushing past volumes of work already written. 

It is extremely imperative that a creative individual lets the junk of writing out on paper or page and not let judgement make him shy away from taking that leap of faith.

“A lot of people never get around to writing because they are always wondering when they are going to write next.”

You could say the same thing about working out, starting a business, creating art, and building most habits. The schedule is the system that makes your goals a reality. If you don’t set a schedule for yourself, then your only option is to rely on motivation.

If you don’t have a time block to write every week, then you’ll find yourself saying things like, “I just need to find the willpower to do it.”

William James, the eminent psychologist, expounded the significance of routines and timetables, articulating that they "liberate our minds to venture into truly intriguing realms of action."

An article within The Guardian concurs, asserting, "If you dissipate resources deliberating when or where to toil, you shall obstruct your capacity to perform the labour." Substantiating this claim are numerous research endeavours on willpower and motivation.

To elucidate, should one harbour genuine aspirations of crafting something captivating, the imperative is to desist from awaiting the capricious whims of motivation and creative epiphanies. Instead, the path lies in establishing a steadfast schedule for laborious endeavours. Easier said than done, undoubtedly.

Consider this perspective on timetables for enlightenment: Sanction for the Genesis of Debris

Drawing parallels with weightlifting provides an apt metaphor for scheduling creative exploits.

Anticipation of achieving a personal record (PR) before entering the gym remains uncertain. 

Many a session may result in subpar performance. Recognising that these below-average days are integral to the process becomes crucial. 

The conduit to hoisting heavier weights involves a steadfast commitment to showing up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, irrespective of the individual workout's quality.

The analogy extends seamlessly to creative work—akin to gym training. Cherry-picking moments of brilliance and exclusively working on days of inspiration is a fallacy. The revelation of profound ideas necessitates traversing a substantial volume of work, diligently rehearsing, and persistently showing up.

Undoubtedly, striving for suboptimal outcomes is never the aspiration. Yet, granting oneself permission to endure occasional bouts of substandard work becomes the requisite toll for reaching excellence.

For those akin to myself, disdain for producing anything less than excellence is palpable. The temptation to critique and withhold sharing, publishing, or delivering something deemed "not yet good enough" looms large.

However, the alternative is graver still: in the absence of a structured schedule compelling timely delivery, evading the labour altogether becomes enticing. 

Consistency, the linchpin of crafting a masterpiece, necessitates permitting the creation of substandard work along the arduous journey.

Cease the anticipation of sporadic inspiration; instead, consecrate a schedule to your habits. This demarcates the dichotomy between professionals and novices. 

Professionals formulate and adhere to schedules, while novices await the capricious embrace of inspiration or motivation.