It’s true of anything. At some point, you’re going to wake up one morning and hit The Wall. You can’t be bothered. It’s not working out.
You just can’t get started.
And then the self doubt arrives. Was it all a mistake? Have you been punching above your weight this entire time? Are you struggling because you’re about to be found out?
Or are you just inherently lazy?
We all have days like this. It doesn’t matter if you’re a freelance writer or an artist. You might be stacking shelves to pay for studies, or cleaning up wounds on a daily basis. Perhaps you’re an elected representative, or a professional athlete. It doesn’t matter. Every single one of us has a moment like this, bewildering “recognition” of a complete lack of ability. It’s invariably temporary, but can last far longer than we would like.
So what is the solution?
I cannot speak for everyone who has encountered and beaten the dreaded block. But I can offer a simple two-step solution.
- “Don’t panic.” This is the most important thing, and of course is inspired by that great dodger of deadlines, Douglas Adams.
- Take a break. Forget the deadline. Go for a walk. Do something else, something you love. sure, you love writing, but do something that doesn’t involve a pen or a keyboard.
That’s it.
Approach the task (a presentation, report, an article, a novel) with a fresh perspective. It’s not going to beat you. All you need to do is know where you’re going with it. To this end, make sure you have an outline.
