Pro-cras-ti-na-tion

Procrastination.  It is a creative killer.  We procrastinate writing, exercising, eating healthy.  All sorts of things because at that moment in time, we don’t want to do the thing we think we should do and we have other things that we either want to do more.  Or that are things we do instead of doing what we want to make ourselves do.

Example.  I’ve done everything I can think of today to put off writing.  I’ve:

-  Done errands.
-  Organized files.
-  Worked on other projects.
-  Surfed the Internet; and
-  Done research.

All because I am procrastinating writing.  In fact, to a degree even writing about the procrastination is part of putting off writing about the topic I have set myself to write on.  Which is, or course, inspiration and creativity.

But since what’s really going on is procrastination why don’t we tactile that subject.

Now generally, I’m not a procrastinator.  I do work best under deadlines.  I like them.  I find them motivating.  But if I want to do something or am committed to it.  I do it.  Why then would I put off writing about something I love to talk about…

And I think what it comes down to is fear.  I hear those thoughts in my head:

“Who do you think YOU are writing about inspiration?”
“What makes you an expert on creativity and inspiration?”
“Why would anyone be interested in what you have to say!”

And then I can argue with that voice in my head which is in it’s own way just another kind of procrastination.

We can distill it then.

    FEAR = Procrastination.

Fear that keeps us from doing what we want to do, what we’ve decided to do, even sometimes what we enjoy.  Fear of rejection, that our worse fears will be realized and we’re not as interesting or our ideas aren’t as valuable as we think they are.  Either we’ll write something we don’t like or we’ll write something others think sucks or worse - both.  It’s the “I’m not good enough syndrome”.

And once in the “not good enough” place, I’ll often look to those I admire to inspire me to new heights.  So, I look to famous people.  People who’s words have inspired millions.  The classics.  Did you know that all the classics are available online at http://www.online-literature.com.

Completely, for free.  You can just read them.  Like at a library.  So I took a little time and read a bit, thinking I might be inspired.  And yes, some very inspiring words.  But they didn’t prompt me to DO anything.

In fact, the reading and looking for inspiration could be thought of as procrastination.  And if what I want at the end of the day is to have been inspired to some creative action (i.e. writing, exercising, dancing, singing, doing my vision boards, decorating my living room - whatever), I need to not only be inspired but have the motivation to DO something.

Goal setting is a great way to get motivated and inspired.

To learn insider secrets and powerful goal setting strategies, visit SMART Goals to discover how to create a road map to achieve your goals for your personal development and self improvement.

I found myself remembering my father saying “Find direction in direction”.

I was very depressed one summer in the middle of college and I said to my dad

“Dad, I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing with my life.  Maybe I shouldn’t go back to college, I feel like I should go sit under a tree and figure out what I’m doing before I continue on.”

And my Dad said “Would you enjoy sitting under a tree and thinking?”
“No, actually, I’d hate that.  It’s just that in so many of the stories I read that’s what people do to FIND themselves.  They go sit under a tree and meditate.”

“Well of course, you can do that.  But I think people often find what actions they want to taking while they are moving instead of sitting still.  At least then, you’ll be able to say to yourself ‘This thing I’m doing now, I don’t want to do this’.  Or you may find things you really like and do more of them.  Then at least you have something to compare.  You can find direction in direction, while you’re going about your life.”

So, at the risk of sounding like a Nike ad, “Just do it”.  Like I did today.

**  Just write words on a page
**  Start walking in some direction
**  Introduce yourself to someone knew
**  Take some action towards something you want

At least then you’ve started and you’ll be able to see if this something makes you feel good or feel bad.  Then you can compare and evaluate along the way.  Once I’m finished writing this blog, I can go back and read over it, edit it, roll it into a ball and start over.  Either way this action leads to other actions.  And, as I enjoy writing, I have to admit I feel better now that when I was talking to myself in my head about procrastination.

So, I wanted was going to write a blog about inspiration and creativity.  And what I did instead was write a blog about the barrier to those - procrastination.  In the process I got through my barrier and ended up feeling kinda creative.  Go figure.

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The Famous Artists, Suffering and Creativity

Artists have long ‘suffered’ for their art and have believed that the two were linked.

Certainly, throughout history there has been this idea of the mad genius. And the notion that one must suffer to be great has been propagated for centuries. Recently, the opening episode of the television series House examined these same issues that many creative people have wrestled with. Must one suffer for their art? Would Van Gogh have painted the Starry Night had he not been in pain?

The Great Violinist

There was a young male violinist, David, who played very well. He went to the most prestigious music school where his notable teacher told him that yes, he was a technically proficient and advanced student but his music had no soul. The teacher said to David, “You will never be truly great and your music will never be able to touch people’s hearts until you have truly suffered for your music.”

So, David took on this task of suffering so that he might be truly great musician. The young man traveled and played for free for anyone who would listen. He begged for food; stopped caring for his body; slept in the streets and let his hair and beard grow wild.

After some years, David was playing on a street near the school. It happened that his teacher was passing by and stopped to listen to this exceptional violinist. David played will feeling. As his bow glided across the violin’s strings, the sound was ethereal, every note conveyed emotion, meaning and melancholy. The teacher wept. When David was finished, his teacher recognized him and said to him softly , “You have grown tremendously. You are truly a remarkable and soulful musician. But for God’s sake, take a bath! No one will ever listen to you if you continue to smell like that”.

The lesson, of course, is one must care for the soul along with the body and the body along with the soul. But still the story does encourage the myth of the suffering artist.

Do you have to suffer to be a good artist?

No. No, you don’t. Sure there are plenty of examples of famous artists who were mentally ill. But we can also find plenty of great and famous people who weren’t mentally ill and who weren’t unhappy who created great art and had good lives. And there are plenty of mentally ill people who aren’t great actors, musicians or writers. As the episode from House stated, had Van Gogh gotten treatment for his mood disorder he may or may not have gone on to paint the Starry Night but he would have retained both his ears.

Perhaps one reason we associate great art with suffering is that the true artist shows us our humanity. And to be human is often to suffer. There is nothing noble in suffering but it is universal and affects rich and old, young and poor, educated and ignorant. If a sensitive individual seeks to show true humanity they may look deeper and allow themselves to be deeply affected in order to express truth. And of course there is the simple fact that many creative endeavors don’t pay well and those who pursue them exclusively may often suffer from the lack of security and comfort that money affords.

If you ask creative people when they are most prolific you will find different answers from each of them. Often their art was a way for them to release themselves from pain. A kind of therapy. A way out of the darkness. And ultimately, whether it was an artists suffering or their joy that produced their work. They give us a path to walk, transcend our normal lives and see beauty in all things.

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