The invisible force holding you back

Every creative person knows the feeling.

That nagging, invisible force that holds you back from doing what you know you need to be doing.

For some odd reason, every time you try to do the thing, it arrives.

No matter how hard you try, the invisible force seems to creep in from the shadows and puts a mental roadblock between you and your goals.

What used to sound exciting, now feels like a major commitment that you’re no longer ready to tackle.

“What happened to that motivation I was feeling last night?”

You thought for sure that today would be the day that you’d break your “losing streak” and restart your productive habit.

But, it wasn’t.

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The Difficulty of Daily Habits

Today I want to admit my own flaws and talk about the invisible force that holds every creative person back. Myself included.

The beauty of writing a newsletter each week is that I can be honest about the things that I’m feeling, and I have the ability to share those thoughts with others who can relate in a genuine way.

Every person faces challenges, and I’m working on being more open to discussing these challenges. It’s not always easy for me. But, I feel that it’s my responsibility to share.

So here goes…

It’s very difficult for me to keep up with a daily writing habit.

It comes and goes in seasons. Some weeks, I wake up early and knock out 1,000+ words without a problem. Sometimes this streak lasts for months.

Other times, I’ll go a week or two without writing anything worthwhile.

And that’s not always easy for me to accept.

I want to write daily. I want to be prolific in my craft. I want to get better each day. I want to be the kind of person that does the things I love to do with ease.

But, that’s simply not always the case. Some days I fall short. And that happens more often than I’d like to admit.

And the reality is that it’s okay.

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The Better It Is, The Harder It Is To Do

If creating things wasn’t difficult – everyone would do it.

If everything was perfect all the time, there would be no good or bad. There would be no beautiful or mundane. There would only be the repetitive perfection.

And it would no longer be “perfect.” It would just be “normal.”

“And when everyone’s super, no one will be.” – Syndrome (The Incredibles)

The main barrier I face is overcoming the invisible force that holds me back from doing what I know I need to be doing.

Maybe it’s procrastination.

Maybe it’s perfectionism.

Maybe it’s straight up laziness.

But for whatever reason, this invisible force steps up to the plate every time I do.

It tries to hold me back from doing the things I love to do. Even if it’s something I genuinely look forward to doing, it still feels difficult.

I’ve been battling this invisible force constantly over the past couple weeks. Summer is here, the weather is nice, sleep becomes less of a priority, outdoor activities are abundant, and making time for things that matter to me feels impossible at times.

This past week, I’ve wanted so badly to wake up and have a banger writing session.

There are few things I love more than waking up between 5:00-6:00am and writing for 60+ minutes. This is the exact habit that has led me to where I am today with writing this newsletter and building my entire personal brand.

I know how important writing is for my mental health, clarity in thinking, and business. Yet, it still feels extremely difficult to do every single day.

You could say the same for:

• working out
• creating art
• eating healthy
• going for walks
• practicing your craft
• doing outdoor activities
• socializing with friends (where my introverts at?)

It’s almost like the more we know something is good for us, the harder it is to do.

Can anyone relate?

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Defeating the Invisible Force

So, what things have I found to help overcome this pesky invisible force? Surely there’s a way to defeat it once and for all.

That must be how the “greats” made their way to amazing success. They found the way to defeat the invisible force.

But honestly, I don’t think the invisible force will ever be gone for good. And the busier life gets, the more relevant the invisible force seems to be.

We only have so much physical and mental energy each day – and the more things that are battling for this energy, the more difficult it is to do all the things we want to do.

Although I don’t have the magic recipe (yet), here are a few tips for defeating the force:

1) Start small.

Starting something is always the most difficult part. Once a plane is off the ground, it gets up to cruising altitude with ease. The same applies for doing difficult things.

If you can find the smallest, most digestible form of “doing the thing,” start there. Once you’ve gotten past that point, continuing further will be easy. Just start, then worry about the rest.

• Don’t write 1,000 words, start with 100.
• Don’t run a marathon, start with 1 mile.
• Don’t work out 6 days per week, start with 1 afternoon.

2) Make amends with mediocre.

Every piece isn’t going to be a masterpiece. Every lift won’t consist of hitting your max. Every run won’t be your fastest. Every design won’t be a portfolio piece. Every film won’t win an Oscar.

For every “winner” there are 100+ “losers.” Be okay with doing things less than perfect more often. This is where improvement happens.

3) Don’t wait for motivation.

Consistency creates motivation. Not the other way around. Breaking a streak is harder than starting one. If you want to be motivated, do something enough that it becomes second nature.

If your actions are contingent on your ability to become motivated, you’ll never do it day after day.

If your actions are the result of undeniable proof of your ability to do it, you’ll find it difficult NOT to continue.

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Finally, Make It Fun

Today, I finally found the courage to defeat the force.

Instead of letting the inevitable stack of excuses get in the way, I went to a coffee shop and wrote 1,400+ words. (S/O to the cup of black coffee with cream + honey that’s got me shaking in my boots).

I don’t normally drink coffee with caffeine. But I’ve found that caffeine allows my fingers to type at about 10,000 words per minute, so why not give it a try? (More on this subject in another newsletter)

My point is… make it fun.

Change up your routine. Work from a new coffee shop. Go for a walk in a new neighborhood. Find inspiration in new areas. Drink coffee (and immediately regret how jittery you become).

And the next time you feel the invisible force, remember that it’s there because you’re doing the thing you’re meant to be doing. The invisible force is a telltale sign of pursuing your purpose.

If creating was easy – everyone would do it. But most people are held back by the force.

Are you?

–Eric Pfohl