The Best Way to Get Out of Your Head and Into Action in 2021
Everything that exists in this world started as a thought. The device you're reading this on, the words on this page, the clothes you're wearing, your grandma's signature dish, everything! Those things would never have existed had they stayed as a thought or an idea. What's needed to take something from your mind and into the world is what I call creative flow. Creative flow is the action you allow to move an idea from its intangible form in the mental space into the physical world where it can be seen, heard, consumed, or engaged. However, making a thought or an idea into reality can feel uncomfortable. We might feel insecure or that we're not good enough (That's your Gremlin. Find out more about your Gremlin in my free eBook).
But what can you do if you find yourself stuck in your head?
Ask yourself if you are comparing yourself to someone else. Why? Because comparison is a common cause of inaction. Perhaps you're comparing yourself to someone who has already done what you are attempting to do? That could be making you feel insecure and bringing up your Gremlin's message, and in turn, keeping you stuck in your head.
Beware of perfectionism. Perfectionism is the killer of progress. Do you find yourself saying things like:
"I'm just getting my thoughts sorted out."
"I'm lining up my ducks."
"I need to get to get it just right."
If so, your idea of perfection may be keeping you stuck in your head.
So what's the solution to getting out of your head? Start producing, start sharing, start speaking, start posting, start writing, start networking. Whatever you want to do that has been stuck in your head until now, just do it!
But what if my work isn't perfect?
Start putting it out there because your work will never be perfect.
But what if someone else is already doing it and it's better than my work?
Start putting it out there because there's always going to be someone that does similar work. And "better" differs from person to e might find your work better than the person you think is better than you. Consider this. How many pizzerias are there around your city? I bet you have a favorite pizzeria. Why is that one your favorite and not all of the others? Is there someone that disagrees with you and thinks another pizzeria is better? I bet even though they believe someone else is better, the pizzeria you like still has a lot of business anyway. How much competition do you think they have, yet they still thrive?
So, let's get you moving forward. We've already established that it's probably not going to be the best work at first. Someone else has probably already done it. And it's impossible to get it perfect. Great! Now the final part is to understand the process of your creative flow.
Creativity in action, like water, is said to flow. However, if you've ever tried getting water from a faucet that hasn't been used in a while or never used at all, you know that there are stages of flow before you get to the good stuff. Let's explore this.
Stage 1- Activating An Underused or Unused System
Faucet: When you first turn on a faucet that has not been used for a long time or has never been used before, you're going to hear a lot of strange noises, spurts, and pops before the water comes out. It can make you nervous and even a little bit scared. You might even think it's not as good a faucet as you thought it was. Maybe the internal plumbing isn't meant for this, or perhaps it's broken.
Creativity/Ideas: When you first start to create after a long time or never doing so before, it's normal to feel awkward, uncomfortable, and inconsistent. That can lead to feelings of nervousness or fear, which in turn leads to doubt and insecurity.
Stage 2: Clearing Out the Gunk