What do you regret in your career?
I know, I know. We’re not supposed to dwell on regrets that weigh us down. But regrets are real. I don’t trust anyone who pretends not to have them.
Mine is easy.
I had a successful podcast that earned attention, sales, and talent for our team.
And I quit making it.
I had a ton of excuses for quitting. None of them matter. I gave in to the resistance between me and the act of creating. Simple as that.
Today, our show is great, but we can’t re-capture the momentum we had earned. We can’t get that time back.
But, you can.
Better – you won’t need to “re-capture” anything. When you beat the resistance that keeps you from creating, you’ll avoid my mistake & reap the rewards. Here’s how:
Show Up Everyday
Think of your creativity the way Lebron James thinks about basketball:
LBJ doesn’t play a game every single day. He might only play 80 or 90 games in a calendar year (no shade on missing the playoffs again, King). There are close to 300 days a year Lebron (or any NBA player) is not performing his craft.
But he still shows up.
Lebron is famous for his in-season and off-season workouts. Stretching and lifting are daily routines. His diet is precise year round. He shows up every day.
When it’s time to play, The King is ready. You should be too.
You don’t have to publish, but you should be taking some action every single day. Writing, editing, reading, designing. Put in the time.
Get Office Space
COVID showed us how desperate people are to get out of the office.
Everybody was like, “this pandemic is terrible & we’re worried… but this work-from-home thing is kiiiiinddda niiiiiiice.”
Good news for creators: we’re not talking about a physical office.
Could be physical.
Could be mental.
Could be digital.
Whether it’s a music playlist you listen to while you create or a specific browser you open. You need dedicated space for your creative work.
Build for Bigger Than You
There will be down days. Today is sorta one for me.
In those moments, you need something bigger than yourself to compel you to keep going.
Could be your family, teammates, vision, or something else. Whatever it is, make it loud and public for yourself and the world.
Knowing other people are watching is the best deterrent to quitting.
The Resistance is something every creator faces. It looks like being too busy, having no good ideas, feeling bored with our work, or believing we aren’t good enough.
You can overcome the resistance by approaching your creativity like the work that it is. Act like a professional.
Learn from my mistakes. You’ll never regret showing up and putting in the time.
