💡Inspiration is Overrated

“I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately, I am inspired at 9 o’clock every morning.” - William Faulkner

Inspiration is often romanticised as the magical force behind creativity and innovation.

This myth of the muse suggests that great ideas come fully formed in a moment of clarity. Inspiration is depicted as a sudden, almost divine, intervention. Although in some rare cases this can be true, in the majority, this perspective is misleading.

This concept of inspiration underscores the notion that consistent effort and a disciplined schedule often lead to creative breakthroughs, rather than waiting passively for inspiration to strike.

The Reality of Creative Work

“I only write when I am inspired. Fortunately, I am inspired at 9 o’clock every morning.” - William Faulkner

The day-to-day reality is far more grounded in discipline, routine, and hard work. No matter if you’re in a creative line of work or simply looking for motivation to start doing something. Relying solely on inspiration can be a recipe for inconsistency.

If you want your inspiration to hit every day at 9 o’clock, it’s important to design systems enabling you to start without friction and facilitate the process.

Creating a healthy routine is way more productive than relying solely on inspiration. Although this sounds very intuitive, trust me, a lot of people do not take it seriously enough and do nothing to help themselves.

Balancing Inspiration and Discipline

I have broken down my process into three core principles. These help me, but feel free to adjust them to your own needs.

Set Specific Goals

Every single creative task can be broken down into smaller actions.

EVERY SINGLE ONE.

If your goal is to write a story, you may want to start with an outline. If writing a narrative feels challenging, start with bullet points to let ideas flow. If bullet points prove to be a struggle, just write down keywords that come to your mind. Put judgment aside; the goal here is to open the creative valve and let ideas flow.

Breaking big projects into smaller manageable tasks not only makes the work feel less daunting but also keeps you moving forward.

If emails, calls, and other people seem to distract you, change your environment. Put your phone aside, disconnect from the web.

Consistency

All creatives swear by consistency being the king.

This is valid for ANY creative endeavor. Setting yourself a goal and keeping accountable is the starting point.

Don’t start big - be realistic.

Schedule a 15-minute daily writing session. If you commit yourself to two hours daily with no previous experience, you are setting yourself up for failure by creating unrealistic expectations. Start small: 15 minutes daily will help you build momentum and increase it further.

Embrace the Process

Fall in love with the process, not just the end result.

The journey of creating is where much of the magic happens. Engage with your work regularly, even when you don’t feel inspired. Often, inspiration comes from the act of doing.

It happens to me to ‘force’ myself to write, or do something that is essential but I simply don’t feel like doing it.

When it comes to writing, the golden rule is that 90% of what you write is trash, 8% can be edited and used, and 2% can be gold that will make you smile when you look at it. But you have to start to create something you can edit from.

Pablo Picasso said: “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.”

Creativity is iterative.

First drafts are rarely perfect, but they provide a foundation to build upon. Embrace revisions and refinements as part of the creative journey.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and make mistakes. Some of the best ideas emerge from unplanned directions and errors.

Charge Your Creative Library

Creative work is much more than waiting for inspiration to strike.

It’s about showing up every day, embracing the grind, finding joy in the process, and making sure that your brain is constantly stimulated with new ideas and concepts. Building and maintaining a well-stocked ‘creative library’ is essential for continuous inspiration and creative growth.

You have to be tactical about this if you want to succeed. Be intentional about the content you consume. Make sure it sparks creativity and allocate time to consume it.

My source of inspiration is podcasts. I find it stimulating to listen to conversations with interesting people from various walks of life. I do not limit myself to the business world.

I go beyond and explore writers, thinkers, sportsmen, and creators.

I am giving myself space to learn from the experiences of other people and cultivate curiosity, explore new topics, and challenge my own ways of thinking. Sometimes the best ideas come from the most unlikely sources.

For many years of my life, I was convinced that in order to CREATE, you have to have a GIFT. I was told that divine inspiration governs the process of creation.

I’ve never let myself believe that with a pinch of tactical thinking, pragmatism, and consistency, you can teach yourself a lot of what talented people have built in.

You can charge yourself with creativity and create a space where you can thrive and work on your passion.

Inspiration is unpredictable. Inspiration is overrated.

Discipline ensures that you’re working even when inspiration is absent.

The real magic lies in the blend of inspiration and disciplined effort.

By fostering habits, setting routines, and embracing the process, you can create a fertile ground where inspiration is more likely to visit.
And when it does, you’ll be ready to harness it.