It’s funny that I’m talking about this now as my blog writing has slowed wayyyy down. I had a bunch of excuses:
“It’s quality over quantity which means you don’t have to post everyday.”
“Wait until you get inspired.”
“You’re too tired after work. Take some time to rest your brain.”
But here are some ways I got unstuck in drafting this post which you can try too:
1. Write in white heat.
I love this idea. It forces you to just pick up the pen and write. Don’t edit yourself. Don’t pause and overthink it. Don’t wait until it’s perfect.
It doesn’t have to be a blog post. It can be a phone call you’re dreading, a meeting you need to set up, a project you have to start, a conversation you’ve been putting off.
Just get it done and put it out there. It might not be your best work but just the act of doing it will help you get over this hump.
2. Schedule it.
Put it on your calendar.
That’s what happened in June. I had posts scheduled to come out on dates and made sure that drafts were written way before the deadline so I had time to edit.
Schedule it so it becomes an appointment you can’t miss—like a meeting with your boss or an important client. If you miss it, at least it will be a constant reminder of something you didn’t get done.
3. Ask yourself “What’s the worst that can happen?”
If you’ve been dreading something, just think, “what’s the worst that can happen?”
The worst that can happen by writing this little imperfect post is that no one reads it and no one goes back to reading my blog. But I can try again tomorrow.
What I know for sure: When we worry about something, it’s never as bad as we’re expecting it to be. It’s the unexpected, the things we never thought we needed to worry about that will find us unmoored, that will change our very essential selves.
