If making your art is adding net misery to the world,” writes Austin Kleon in his mighty little book Keep Going, “walk away and do something else. Find something else to do with your time, something that makes you and the people around you feel more alive.”
Elizabeth Gilbert says something similar in her book on creativity, Big Magic.
If we as writers are not operating from a place of joy in some foundational way, something is wrong. When I say joy, I’m talking about a sense of calling and excitement as opposed to grinding it out in a state of constant exhaustion.
Understand, this is not an argument for laziness. I’m not saying the work we are called to is never difficult. Of course it is. But if underneath it all we don’t have a sense of “This is a privilege, it’s an honor to do this;” if we don’t have a sense of gratitude at some base level, something is off.
Joy isn’t just about us; it’s about our readers. When we’re not able to work from a foundation of joy, our work becomes less helpful to other people. I’m not saying it’s of no value, but it is likely less valuable than when it springs from a place of joy and gratitude.
So, what do you do when you feel like you’ve lost the joy? What do you do when it does feel like you’re grinding it out? I have three tips for you.
1. Remember the Beginning
One tactic to use when your marriage gets tough, say many marriage therapists, is to think back to the wedding and the honeymoon. Recall and reflect on how in love you were with your spouse back at the beginning. If there was a season when you and your spouse felt deeply romantic with one another, you can refer back to that as a way to fuel yourself forward. On the other hand, if that sense of bliss was never there (maybe you got married for some other reason than love), this can spell trouble for a marriage.
Similarly, if you are not able to look back on your project and say that the genesis of this was joyful, consider letting it go. Like Kleon says, you probably should find something else to do. But assuming you started with positive, joyful energy, maybe it’s time to reconnect with it. Stephen King said, “If you can do it for the joy, you can do it forever.”
2. Manage the Tension between Joy and Hard Work
We’re always on a continuum between hard work and energizing, joyful work. If you have been in exhaustion mode for a long time and the work has ceased to be fun, it’s time to go back and find the joy.
It’s time to take care of yourself and get in touch with the reasons you wanted to do this in the first place. It might be sabbatical time. It might be time to scale back what you’re doing and get in touch with the roots of why you began.
Remember: if you’re not operating from a place of fueled-up joy, chances are the work you are producing is not living up to its potential.
3. Send It with a Smile
Finally, when you have completed something, send it with a smile. Send it with gratitude for the unfathomable opportunity you had to work on it.
If I was personally coaching you, I’d say this: Don’t cling to it. Don’t keep checking whether or not people respond favorably to it. Let it go. Launch it into the world with grace and joy pursuing it.
Yes, you hope it is a blessing to other people, but you also recognize, particularly as you are sending it into the world, how others respond is not the point. The point is you have done your work.
This was never, ever about getting anybody’s approval. It was always about doing your best to create something. That’s what it always has been about. And that’s what it’s about right now.
Question: Which of these methods resonates the most with you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Definitely the third resonates most with me: to create with gratitude and let it go with joy in the having created.
I think perfectionism steals my joy. When i fixate on the result (What will readers think?) I tell myself it has to be perfect then tense up in fear that it’s not. But remembering that the goal was always to do my best to create something, not get approval is helpful. Doing my best to create something is different than getting something perfect. Thanks, Chad!
Excellent Chad, thank you. I have learned much from your emails. I am writing a non-fiction book to share with the World. It is timely, relevant and my joy and pleasure to put into words..