Finding what you look for

I have noticed in my life that I usually find what I look for. For example, if I look for what is wrong, I usually find it. If I look for the negative, I find it. If I look for what is right, I also find that. If I look for what is positive, that I also find. So I have come to this conclusion. Since I find what I'm looking for, why not look for something intentionally. In other words, look for something on purpose. Why not look for what is right, look for what is good, look for what works, look for what is positive? That way when you do find what you're looking for, it is a good thing.

What do you think?

Taking a break

No, I am not taking a break from writing in my blog. What I would like to write about today is taking a break so that you can get more ideas. Our brains have a curious function. Sometimes when we work very hard at trying to find an idea, our brains can't do it. But, if we take a break and go do something else, magically our brains come up with an idea. So, if you find yourself stuck without being able to move forward, take a break. Go do something else. Go do a little bit of cleaning, go wash the dishes, take a short walk, call a friend and have a nice discussion about something else. Take a break and go do something else and you will see that your brain will come up with an idea. That always works well for me. In fact that is how I came up with this blog post.

What do you think?

Choosing

We make thousands of choices every day. So you would think that making a choice would come easy to us. I have found that it is not the case. Making choices is actually very difficult. This is especially true when it comes to things that are important to us. I find that it is also true when we are creating. For some reason our minds invest a lot of emotional energy into those things we make. That makes choosing more difficult for us. How do you overcome this tendency? You force yourself to make a choice. Quickly pick A or pick B. Without thinking too much about it follow one path or the other. The only way to get better at choosing, is by making choices. So get started right now. Start making a choice now. What if you make the wrong choice? Actually, I don't think there are wrong choices. There are only choices that did not work as well as you expected, so you go back and do the other one. Also, just make the best choice you can as soon as possible. You will find that as you make more and more choices that it will become easier to make choices.

What do you think?

Finding ideas

Finding ideas is not difficult. Why? Because they are all around you. All you have to do is open your eyes and look for them. In fact there are millions of them. The hard part is not finding them, it is picking one of them. That's right, the hardest thing is actually choosing which idea you want to use. That is where most people end up getting blocked. The solution is just choose already. Just pick something and go with it. The worst that can happen is that you don't use it. Choose something, and start to play with it in some fashion. Then, if it feels right, and looks good, finish it and publish. That's how you find ideas, and it works, because that's how I find ideas.

What do you think?

The creative process

The process of creating seems like a mystery to some. It is not though. It is actually quite mundane. Just like a bricklayer lays one brick on top of another to build the wall, so it is with creating something. You just keep putting things together till you have something you want. For example, in writing you just keep putting words up on the page. In composing music you just keep putting notes together. In painting you just keep adding paint. It is all the same process. Granted writing words, composing music, or painting on canvas takes more skill than laying bricks, the process is the same. If you want to create, start building and it will all come together.

What do you think?

First create, then edit

When you are writing something that is going to be published in some form, it is very tempting to edit as you write. Many times as I write things that will be published I am tempted to do this. I am tempted because it feels like a shortcut and a timesaver, but it is just a way to make sure that what you write is bland and boring. It is also a great way to make sure you do not write very much because if you edit as you write, it'll stop you from putting words on the page. It'll stop the flow. Writing should always be a two-step process. First throw the words on the page as fast as possible. Then, come back later and fix it. That's how you create good stuff for your readers. It's also the best way to make sure that you keep putting words up on the page without impediment.

What do you think?

Just get started

How do you go about creating more things? How do you write a book? How do you write a piece of music? How do you write a blog post? The first thing you need to do is just get started. In fact, I have found that to be the hardest part of creating anything. Once you get started, the rest is much easier. It's like getting a large ship moving. You have to use a lot of energy at the beginning, but once it's moving, all you have to do is steer it in the right direction (stopping is also difficult - just look at the Titanic). Creating is very similar. You have to use a lot of energy and focus to get started, but once you do, it's much easier to keep going. Do you have something you need to get done or something you want to create? Just get started and the rest will begin to fall into place.

What do you think?