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It never fails that I get the chance to share my tips at The SITS Girls right about the time that I need my own reminders! Timing is everything when it comes to creativity, isn’t it?
How many of you get stuck in your blogging journey and just want to throw in the towel, cry in a pillow, or run and hide from your draft folder? I know I do, sometimes, and it’s usually because I’ve fallen prey to a few of the things I’m going to share with you today!
4 Things That Could Be Killing Your Creativity
There’s plenty of things on this blogging journey that keep us from being at our creative best, but there are four things that could be killing your creativity which deserve a mention today!
1. The Comparison Monster
Nothing kills your creativity faster than a good dose of the comparison monster. It’s so easy to fall into the pit of comparing your blog, writing style, or niche with that of another (seemingly) more successful blogger. We visit others within the blog community as a part of the steps in building our own. It’s only natural that we take notice of other blogs, but it’s dangerous when we let ourselves fall prey to comparison.
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” ~Theodore Roosevelt
Don’t let comparing yourself to others get in the way of your own unique gifts. We each have something that no one else can bring to the table-ourselves. Stay true to you!
2. Lack of Preparation
You might have a ton of blog post ideas reeling around in your head, but if you don’t take the time to organize them, that’s where they’ll stay. Make planning your blog posts a priority. Begin by jotting down your ideas in a journal or type notes into your phone on-the-go. Have you heard of mind mapping? Try it! It’s my all time favorite way to create post ideas. Once you have your ideas a little more organized it’s easier to plan your content.
“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” ~Jonh Steinbeck
3. Perfectionism
Stop worrying about your work being perfect and start creating something. Anything! There’s the age old argument of quality vs. quantity in blogging, and while I agree with this wholeheartedly, I also think that waiting for the perfect post will leave us waiting a very long time. Some days, you just have “rip off the band-aid” and hit publish! Free write for the therapy of it and share your heart. If your writing is honest and real, someone, somewhere will relate. That’s what really matters on this journey!
“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” ~Salvador Dali
4. Fear
Don’t be afraid to write your truth. Don’t let the worry of what others will think get in the way of your voice. Take risks, face rejection, and then get up and do it again! Fear is paralyzing. It has a way of freezing precious time that we could be using to reach our goals and dreams. Time we will never get back. What are your fears when it comes to blogging? Make a list of the things that stop you from trying and start striking through them item by item!
“Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” ~Coco Chanel
Your Turn
Can you relate to any of these things standing in your way? Let go and create something amazing today!
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Everything that you said what else am a perfectionist, I’m the extreme and it disturbs me.
I’m so guilty of all 4 of these! Blogging takes more creativity than I thought it would to stand out from the crowd. I love that it is challenging me in New ways but I have to remember to find my own way, however messy or long that may take.
“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.” This is everything! SO many of posts almost didn’t happen, because of my thinking ‘WHO would care about this?” but someone almost always responds in some way.
I’m pinning this whole post to my Pinterest, so I can go back and read again and remind myself!
Thank you.
Oh, I’m so very creative….I just lack the planning skills to get everything done. So my creativity just drips down onto the floor and evaporates. If only there was a way to regularly get it on the page…..
Mind mapping is AMAZING! I start thinking im ADD because I’m like, “I’m gonna do this, I need to write about this…but then I do this…” LOL, thoughts are splattered about! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I think these are all great points! I especially agree with the comparison and fear ones. I think it’s so important to have your blog reflect your voice, and not try to be like someone else. Both of those go hand in hand in doing so.
Thanks is much for sharing!
I love every single one of these quotes! My biggest challenge these days is making the time to write and avoid sleep deprivation – which absolutely kills me as a mom. How do you do it with homeschooling on your plate together with the days you were pregnant? Help me on that one!
Honestly sometimes I think it’s too much computer time, being visually over stimulated by everyones amazing work doesn’t help me. For me the best solution is going outdoors to refresh my mind & think clearer. Inspires all aspects of creativity & blogging. I agree, I know I have been online too long when I start comparing. I just tackled the clutter – mess one. At least I have that off my list for now!
Guilty!!! I think the one that kills me the most is preparation. I feel so mixed up with all the ideas but then I don’t write them down. I need to really focus here!
Thanks for the advice!
This is so true for me, Adrienne! Thank you for writing this!
Thanks, Yvonne! You are very welcome!
Oh my goodness, you’ve up and done again. You spoke directly to me on most of these points. I have been holding back in so many ways lately because of the big comparison monster. I haven’t been totally true to me lately.
I’m so glad you’re back. I look forward to hearing about your vacation when you’re ready to get back in the grind of things.
Thanks, Crystal!! I’m glad to be back! I’m thrilled this post spoke to your heart. That makes me smile!
These are everything I could come up with too…just never blogged about (because my creativity was dead!) Thank you for the reminder and the kickstart.
Love these motivators!
Yeah! I love the word KICKSTART! SO glad I could help you get going. 😉
I love all of this, and especially the Steinbeck quote. Thanks for the words of inspiration and encouragement, Adrienne.
Isn’t that quote awesome! I loved it too!! Thank you, Shana.
I’ve encountered every single one of these…spot on! I would say I am getting better at letting go of that idea of perfection. I could get hung up on writing the perfect post and taking the perfect pictures, but then no one would ever hear what I have to say or share!!
Exactly, Jenn!
Adrienne, these are great! I’ve overcome all of them, but they were so present in my first months of blogging, oh yeah! I think another one related to the planning or lack thereof 🙂 is learning to let go of too many ideas.
I tend to have tens of them popping out of nowhere and I need to clearly cross off the ones I don’t need. Though I feel really sorry to let some of them go, LOL!
Yes, I agree. Not every thought needs to be a blog post. I struggle with that too sometimes. I’m so glad you can say you’re an overcomer! Good for you!!
Good piece! Just what I needed today
Thank you so much, Christa! I’m glad the timing was good for you!
Very nice reminders. Sometimes I have to remind myself to just jump in and do it. Not study it to death.
Yes! Sometimes I mull over a post so much that I don’t even end up hitting publish. I pick it apart until there’s nothing left. That’s why just free writing in a journal of something like Evernote is so good for us!
Very good thoughts, here! I especially like the one about not comparing. I think that’s what steals my creativity a lot, because I feel like it won’t be as good as someone else’s or fear that too many people have already written about a certain topic.
Don’t comparison and fear just go hand-in-hand? Ugh! They get me too, Melissa.
I must ask (or I could Google) what is Map Minding? All of the above at one time or another and at different levels. Good reminders and I love the quotes!
Here you go, Laurie. I learned about mind mapping from Melissa at Momcomm. Check it out!
http://www.thesitsgirls.com/blogging/sitsclass-how-to-create-brilliant-ideas-and-brainstormfor-your-blog/
Here’s a link to a direct post on her site for mind mapping. http://www.momcomm.com/2011/02/how-to-mind-map-for-better-blog-writing/
Thanks Adrienne. I will be checking it out!
Great post. Comparisons and perfectionism are definitely my biggest challenges. I also agree with a previous commenter that fear gets in the way too – fear of failure and also fear of what others might think. Right now I’ve got several half ideas floating around – what is mind mapping?
It’s sort of like a word web, if you know what that is?
Here’s a great article from Melissa of Momcomm on how to mindmap. She’s a genius! http://www.momcomm.com/2011/02/how-to-mind-map-for-better-blog-writing/
Definitely can relate to all 4 and I’m constantly telling myself that I do need to stop comparing, I need to get more organized, stop trying to be the “perfect” blogger, and to just share what I believe in and feel even if others don’t agree! Thanks you for sharing 🙂
Exactly, Victoria! I’m with you. I really need to be more organized. But, it’s hard. There are only so many hours in the day.
Don’t forget a major creativity zapper–an overpacked calendar.
Yup! That’s so true, Nicole!
Fear gets me every time. I always think people will make fun of me for having an opinion or for showing a little bit of myself. Sad, huh?
It’s not sad, Kathy. I can relate. I’m always a little insecure about my blog. Especially with non-bloggers IRL. Sometimes, people just don’t get it.
Procrastination.
Oh yes, that’s a HUGE one for me! I think this list could have easily been 789 things that are killing your creativity, but who wants to read that?? 😉
Fear is probably my worst enemy. I need to just get over it I guess.
It’s easier said than done, isn’t it, Tanya? You can do it!
Yeah, #1 is my worst. Sometimes I just have to tune out everything around me and write/photograph from the heart because I do get caught in the monster. However, fear and lack of confidence are much worse for me.
They’re all big ones for me. I let fear hold me back from so much I want to do with the blog/find writing gigs. Sigh…
I love mind mapping, and it’s so true about the comparison monster..I fall into that trap all the time.
Comparison is probably one of the biggest hurdles I have on this blogging journey. You are not alone!
I do feel uninspired some days, mostly because I’m so bogged down by the day-to-day stuff I just need to get through. I have to put aside time every day to allow creativity. Great tips, Adrienne!
Thanks, Alison!
I SO needed to hear this! I’ve been blogging for years now and I’ve always wanted my blog to be about real life and I try to speak from my heart. Yet sometimes, I feel as though I shouldn’t share about the same trial that I’ve been walking through for so long, because I’m afraid people will get tired of hearing about it. This post was a reminder to me that I need to be true to myself and not worry about what others might think. Thank you so much for sharing this today!
It’s easier said than done, Patty, but when I let go of those insecurities, I am always happier with the result. Glad it was a timely reminder for you.
Great list – I would also add: Not getting away from the computer and LIVING. You get your best content by getting away from the screen and living your life!
Great list – I would also add: Not getting away from the computer enough and LIVING! You get your best post content when you’re out there, away from the screen, living your life.
I couldn’t agree more, Morgan! I always say you have LIVE life in order to be able to blog about it.
Awesome post Adrienne! Exactly what I needed!
Thanks, Lisa!
The Clutter Bug is my creativity zapper. Too much paper around me just takes away my will.
Just my 2 cents
Oh that’s a big one for me too!
I’m with you Carla! That Clutter Bug is a beast! lol. I would get an idea and write it on a miscellaneous piece of paper. By the end of the week, I’d have 3 million miscellaneous pieces of paper all over my house and would be angry that I couldn’t find a specific one. It wasn’t until I actually began using my iPhone to write notes and stay organized that I actually began getting things done.
I love love love the mind mapping idea! I am a new blogger and my thoughts are all jumbled right now, putting them on paper will be a a great way to get some structure.
Thanks for sharing!
You are very welcome!
I love love love the mind mapping idea! I’m a new blogger and my ideas are all scrambled up at the moment. Putting them on paper is a great plan.
Mind Mapping is awesome! It really helps me get my ideas out of my head and onto paper. I’m visual, so it’s a great tool for me.
The comparison monster is a HUGE creativity killer for me.
Me too, Tracie!