Why working harder makes working harder

Feeling spacy? Get some space.

Why working harder makes working harder.

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Perhaps it’s just one of those messages from the Universe, but I
have had almost the same exact conversation with three clients in
the last week.

That ususally means one of two things: 1. there’s a lesson I need
to learn myself or 2. it means it’s time to write a newsletter
about it. It’s ususally both.

So here’s the scenario:

You’ve got something you’re working on. The deadline isn’t
tomorrow, but it’s coming up. You’ve been procrastinating doing it
for a while and you know it’s time to crack down and get it done.

So you sit down at your computer to get it done, but first you
check your email. Then you check the weather. Then you check email
again. You know where I’m going with this, right? The Thing doesn’t
never get done. (Yes, you heard me right with my double negative.)

The creative process can’t be forced.

Have you ever asked someone who speaks a foreign language to “say
something” in that language? You know what happens: they blank.
They look around in the sky for insipration to strike, but they’re
on the spot and nothing comes out.

The same thing happens when you’re trying to create by force.

Most people hold the mistaken belief that creativity means
producing something. They look at a piece of artwork or hear a song
and think: “they’re so creative.”

Creativity actually comes before production.

I know this is abstract, but hang in there with me.

Have you ever been struck by an idea so brilliant and so exciting,
you can’t wait to create it? What were you doing when it occurred?
A lot of the time, these flashes of inspiration come while you’re
in lah-lah land, zoning out, doing mundane stuff.

Have you ever noticed that they don’t come when you’re under the
gun, straining, slumped over the computer like Quasimodo? Nothing
happens then, does it. There’s a reason for this: creativity needs
space.

But we don’t give it space. We try to force it. We push, thinking:
“I’ve GOT to get this done.”  All that email and weather-checking
is an attempt to buy you time. Your brain has other ideas.

The positive side of procrastination

Procrastination has a positive intention: to give your brain the
space it needs to rest, regroup, and pop out another brilliant,
twinkly idea.

When you force productivity, it backfires. And things that “should”
be simple, take forever. Talk about frustrating.

How to get space to work for you

I was talking to a client recently who cracked her own code. She
noticed that every time she was pushing herself, her body was in a
certain posture and she felt a specific emotion. One day, she
decided to do something about it (I’m so proud): she took a break.

She discovered that taking a break, walking away, wiping down
counters in the kitchen, somehow that was enough. When she went
back to work, The Thing was easy.

What are you forcing?

Me? Well, I have an incredible, exciting program I’ll be sharing
with you… Sometime soon. But I’m sitting on my hands right now. I
realized this week that it needs to percolate longer because trying
to force it out by September 1st wasn’t working.

If you’ve been putting off a project or trying to get something
accomplished, you hereby have my permission to stop. Better yet,
give yourself permission.

Things to try:

1. Ask yourself what you’re needing. What do you really need? Is it
a glass of water? A stroll by a river? To drive 75 mph blaring old
Bruce Springsteen tunes? Whatever it is…

2. Do it. You’ll be glad you did.

3. Come back to the project later. When you come back, you’ll be
nourished by the space and have renewed energy. Give it a whirl and
let me know how it goes (I’ll keep you posted on my project, too).