I think we all have creative and spontaneous ideas that would be SO COOL if we just had the courage to go for them.
In recent years, I can recall very strong moments of inspiration where I felt called to create or write or draw or say something. The inspiration is so strong that it almost feels real. It feels within reaching distance. It feels within my abilities of that day, of that moment. It feels like THIS THING MUST HAPPEN. How could it not happen?? I must make it happen!
Life Happens
Despite this very strong urge or calling or nudge (which can last for hours or days sometimes), I end up getting distracted. There are things on my TODO list that are of higher importance or higher urgency. Something else is on fire. It must be taken care of first before I sit down to focus and go off into imagination land with my creative muscles.
So reluctantly, I take care of the tasks that need to be done to keep my life running, while in the back of my mind, I’d rather be working on my cool idea. Then life creeps in, the way it always does. Commitments come up. It’s time to sleep. It’s time to wake up. It’s time to cook a meal, but wait I need groceries first. Then I need to fill up on gas, and etc…
The energy and excitement of that idea just gradually dissipates. The idea doesn’t seem as urgent. The idea seems too fanciful. The idea seems like it can wait. The energy dies down to practically zero – where it becomes an idea shelved in the back of your mind as something you never got to because you were too “busy.”
Even if you did finally have a breather from all your tasks to clear some free time to work on your idea, you would probably get too antsy sitting down with a blank page. You’d find something else to distract yourself with – looking for a snack, cleaning up the house, laundry, etc…
These are all the ways we avoid working on our ideas.
Ideas Look for Human Bodies
From reading the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (the acclaimed Eat, Pray, Love author), she talks about how these ideas float around from person to person looking for someone to carry it out in tangible form in the real world.
For example, she talked about a very specific book idea and storyline that came to her. She was going to write it out because it was so clear in her mind. For some reason, she didn’t have a chance to write it. Then over time, the idea became less and less important to her. After a while, she forgets about the idea. Then out of nowhere, another author pops up with this published book with the eerily SAME storyline.
By tracing back the timeline with this author, she realizes that the idea magically tried to come to her to be written, but when Elizabeth didn’t take action on it, the idea floated over to some other lady who did end up taking action on it. Hence, if you don’t act on the idea, the idea will probably get executed by someone else.
The Time to Act
That’s why it’s so important to act on that moment of inspiration – to just get up and start working on it. It’s a bad idea to sit there and start contemplating the pros and cons of whether you should take action or not. Overthinking the idea gives your ego room to discount the idea and rationalize why you shouldn’t act on it. So, no questions asked, go act on it and see what happens.
I wish I could say that I act on my ideas so perfectly every time, but of course, that’s not the case. But I wanted to write this article as a reminder to myself and all of you that those moments of inspiration are so important, yet so fleeting. So best to act when these magical moments descend upon you.
What an idea that’s been nagging at you?
Related Articles:
The Biggest Mistake
Where I Developed My Imagination
Two Types of Discipline
Creative Process of Kevin Kwan, Author of Crazy Rich Asians
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