Tips for the Artists in Limbo: Entry Two
How to Take Advantage of Your Motivation Window
Picture this - you are minding your business, having as normal a day as ever, when suddenly you see something that makes that imaginary light bulb above your head instantly flick on. All of a sudden, a brand new idea is on the tip of your tongue. Or, maybe you went to see a performance, and in the middle of the final piece you feel your imagination running wild. You can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to be in that person’s place, or to play any part in what you are witnessing right now from the audience. What do you do now? Well, believe it or not, this can be a very tight window of opportunity. The overwhelming feeling of inspiration and motivation to create something new, can be a phenomenon that sticks with you beyond that unforgettable moment and that you never forget, OR, worst case scenario is that it can be gone just as quickly as it appeared. All because you never followed up with yourself on why exactly that moment resonated with you so much. This is how I would encourage you as a creative to take more of an advantage of your “Motivation Window”.
Let’s imagine that a special, one night only performance that you attended is what has sparked this window of motivation. Usually, you are feeling the tingling sensation of creativity linger in your body once you get home, the day after when debriefing with your friends, and maybe even a week later when you are reminiscing. Furthermore, you can’t shake the fact that you caught yourself at one point telling yourself - I want to do that so badly.
Well who’s to say you can’t? Don’t take this as anything less than a perfect opportunity for you to create a new goal for yourself. There’s a reason that you feel this way, and frankly as a creative you should live for moments of inspiration like this. Be a visionary and take some steps in your career based on this feeling.
Yes, this is very exciting! Maybe this is after weeks or months of a creative block and now you can’t believe that you finally have this great idea. But, don’t go to the opposite end of the spectrum and enter a stream of consciousness without stopping at some point to create a reasonable structure. What I mean is, if you are serious about this, then take a second to breathe and organize your thoughts. This is something that you feel passionately about making happen, so you want to be smart.
Start with the WHAT/WHEN/WHERE/HOW of it all.
WHAT exactly is your goal? You should be able to summarize this in one sentence. If not, then you need to break it down into multiple goals and complete the next steps for each of them individually.
WHEN do you want to accomplish it by?
WHERE can this happen? Is it something that you can accomplish in your current environment or do you have to consider a change?
HOW are you going to achieve it? Think of your current resources and skills and what you may need to obtain in order to be successful.
This is a sneaky part of the process that likes to intrude on our nice, happy moments - doubt. Ugh, don’t let that little voice in the back of your head find it’s way to the forefront next to your shiny new goals. Now is not the time to start shying away. Remember, at this point you have considered the What/When/Where/How of it all and have completely organized your thoughts. If this was truly something you were not capable of completing, you would have caught that by now and adjusted. Plus, you have most control over what your career can be - don’t forget that you have that power. Take a moment to remind yourself of the skills, education, and resources that you possess that make you more than qualified to start this project.
This new goal may be something that you have never tried before, which honestly, is even better! Uncharted territory can be the most exciting, truth be told. But if you are aware that this may not be your strength, don’t just push forward. Do your research! Knowledge is power in this scenario, because you are starting from scratch. So, be sure to reach out to your friends, colleagues, mentors, or make new connections and ask for all of the information and advice that you need to move forward. Maybe someone in one of those categories is even willing to guide you through the process beyond an initial conversation, and possibly assist you in making this happen. You never know unless you take the initial step of reaching out!
And lastly, whatever you do, and whatever happens in the end, never forget what it felt like to be suddenly inspired. Being a creator comes with the need to be original and the ability to basically invent your own path in life. These moments of inspiration are crucial in keeping us going. If, after all of this thought and consideration, your big idea still turns out to be a flop, just know that you still gained something from this process - the feeling of excitement you’ve had and, importantly, the motivation to seek out your next big window of inspiration.
