At the beginning of the new year, I find myself sitting down with a blank sheet of paper and begin to build lists of things I need to do, things I want to complete as soon as possible. The lists cover the entire sheet of paper on both sides.
However, I have a problem, as we all have, especially those who are creative, because I have a voice in my head. The “inner critic” is that voice that frets, complains, and criticizes.
He has an opinion on everything I create. He enjoys glancing over the lists, rubbing his hands, and telling me that everything on the lists has to be done immediately to divert my attention.
He also makes me think of the lists from the previous year with all the boxes I haven’t yet checked.
And he shines a bright light on all my failures and neglected projects, overshadowing any of my successes. He makes sure that the enormous lists make my stomach feel a little queasy and that they weigh me down so much that I am unable to move forward.
Oh, and before I begin, he claims that I require a new laptop for the year, I need a new style of notepad. I need an entire box of brand new rollerball pens in blue, not black. Maybe I should put it off until the weekend or a holiday, when things will be quieter and I can focus more.
It’s possible that I need to construct a proper studio with ideal lighting and in-built sonar speakers, but in reality, I don’t require any of those things.
Instead, all I have to do is get started and commit to being creative. I needed to put my attention on the things that really matter to me, on my personal objectives, and get started on work that will take me on new adventures, on work that might be risky that I might fail at, on work that will help me grow and be happy and fulfilled. That’s what I need to do: sit down with my old laptop and just write, design, or create, and I can even eat lunch while getting the work done.
There are a gazillion things to do and a gazillion reasons not to do them, but rather than making additional lists, objections, and diversion, I’m going to focus all of my energy on completing the project, so here is my entire to-do list; I’ve executed it!