For the past few days, I’ve been thinking about impostor syndrome, writer’s block and procrastination. Needless to say, I was experiencing a combination and figured I’d embrace them this time. Each term has specific definitions, behaviours and feelings attached, but what they all have in common is that they sabotage the work that we want or need to do.
Feeling stuck is daunting enough. Getting out of it can be a monumental effort.
I’ve put together some original ideas and resources that have helped me “get unstuck” during 2021. Hopefully, they can inspire you to get out there and at least move one step forward:
From Seth Godin’s blog: “Yes, you’re an impostor. So am I and so is everyone else.” This sentence stuck with me because he makes such an obvious point. We are all impostors because we are probably not the best-qualified person in the whole world to do the job. But for some reason or another, we are in that position, have been given the opportunity and all we can do is our very best. In my opinion, this thought is enough to live with a clear conscience and show up with the best you’ve got.
“Nothing is more paralysing than the idea of limitless possibilities. The idea that you can do anything is absolutely terrifying” from Austin Kleon’s Steal like an Artist. It may sound counterintuitive at first, but he suggests placing constraints on yourself as a way to get over your creative block. Depending on your work or objectives, constraints may mean different things. Some things I have tried and been successful: publicly committing to doing something (this blog, on Instagram, having an accountability partner, a written or word contract), drawing and painting with only 3-4 colours in the same paper size for a project, set time limits to get work done as I start an assignment.
From James Clear’s Atomic Habits: “I try to remind myself of a simple rule: never miss twice…The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. Missing one is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.” I found this to be especially relevant when trying to create a new practice or habit. Every time I experienced a creative block and was inclined towards procrastination, I was reminded of this line. The simple reminder of it made me think that if I missed my commitment, I was consciously deciding to either stop the effort or move in another direction. That choice made me aware that starting something new, rather than continuing the habit I had committed to, was harder than pulling myself together and getting the work done. And guess what, it’s worked!
References & going deeper:
Seth Godin´s Blog. Impostor Syndrome. OCTOBER 29, 2017
Seth Godin on Imposter Syndrome, the Practice, and WHY There’s No Such Thing as Writer’s Block
Austin Kleon. Steal like an Artist. 10 Things Nobody Told Me About the Creative Life. Workman publishing, 2012.
James Clear. Atomic Habits. An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery, 2018.