Ever have trouble finding motivation?
Every artist, no matter what your medium, will run into creative blocks that stop the flow of ideas and creative energy. Sometimes it is a brief feeling that causes you to hang up your tools or put away your brushes for the afternoon but sometimes it’s a feeling that can stifle you for days or weeks. That’s when you have to do something about it.
Don’t get me wrong. Every once in a while taking the afternoon off to enjoy being outside or doing some other fun (and usually unrelated) activity is a necessary break to keep us creative and sane. But if your feeling like your creative juices aren’t flowing and the feeling is hanging on, here are some ideas you can try to overcome the block, find your motivation and get back in the groove again.
Try taking a break
Sometimes it’s the pause that refreshes. Finding motivation sometimes involves a complete break to do something different and reset the brain. Try going outside for a walk or exercising. Changing your mental gears and doing some other activity you enjoy or that challenges you a different way might just be all the break you need to get your flow back on track. This is good when you just need a small break but if your creative block has been going on longer it will probably take more than this.ยจ
Set a goal
Often our motivation is blocked because the project at hand seems too big or it doesn’t excite us like other projects. I sometimes get this when working on leather projects that don’t involve a lot of artwork or carving, or if it’s a big new project working on something I’ve never made before. When this happens it helps to set small goals to make progress towards the overall completed project. It can be difficult to find motivation when a project seems overwhelming. By setting small goals that are easier to reach you can make progress is small steps. Those steps will help build your confidence and your motivation, all of which helps with finding motivation.
And if you find it difficult to reach your goals or keep on track, tell a friend about your goals. Telling someone whom you can trust can help you feel accountable, especially if they are someone that will remind you of your goals and keep pushing you to reach it.
Make a series of small goals
Small goals can act as manageable steps toward a bigger goal. Setting up small steps can create more manageable goals, and each small goal gets you closer to the overall large goal and builds your momentum towards completing the project and getting your motivation back.
Celebrate success!
As you reach each goal, celebrate your successes! Even small steps are an accomplishment towards completing your project and getting your creative momentum up and running again. Celebrating each positive step resets your feelings towards the project, turning what may seem like a chore into a feeling of accomplishment.
More to come!
Next time we’ll talk about some ways to find our motivation by releasing your creativity.