What I Do When I Can't Find Inspiration To Create

Ev Chapman
January 13, 2023
2 min read

I never try and push out content. If I don't feel the spark, I find something else to work on.

That might seem weak, or like I don't have any grit. But what I'm really doing is learning to listen & trust myself. It doesn't mean I don't lean into resistance when I need to. Learning to do hard things is much different than not having a spark for something.

(and learning to tell the difference can be the hardest lesson of all)

Trying to write something you're uninspired by creates a resistance to the act of creating itself. And that is a dangerous place to be in as a creator. But it doesn't mean you just give up and do nothing.

So Here are Four Things I Do When I Feel Uninspired...

Walk Away. Like literally walk. I lace up my shoes and just start walking. Walking clears my head, and paves the way for ideas like no other activity. Before I know it I'm rushing home to get all the creative ideas down.

Choose something else to write. I check back in with my Up Next content list and see if something else sparks me and write that instead.

Find something to read. When I don't feel a spark for writing I dive into my reading pile. Mostly this lives in Matter and I always found something interesting that leads to a new idea spilling onto the page.

Open my Spark Inbox. This is where I keep all my atomic notes on topics & areas of interest from what I've read & consumed. It's like a treasure trove of inspiration and I can always be guaranteed that something will spark me.

You don't have to push through when inspiration isn't hitting you. But you should always have a backup plan for inviting inspiration back into your routine.

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