If You're Waiting For This To Happen 

To Your Inspiration...Keep Waiting

Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to do an awful lot of work.

-Chuck Close, Painter and Visual Artist 

In a dimly lit basement office, a writer stares at the blank screen. 

“Come on, just one spark!” he whispers as he wipes the imaginary sweat from his brow, like Frodo bracing himself for another perilous step toward Mordor. 

But nothing happens. 

The muse must be on vacation, and the clouds stubbornly refuse to part.

Chuck Close’s words come to mind: “Inspiration is for amateurs.” 

If you wait for inspiration to show up, you might as well be waiting for a unicorn to offer you a ride. 

True creativity doesn’t come from waiting for the clouds to part; it comes from showing up and doing the work.

READ. THAT AGAIN!!

Here’s further wisdom from Chuck Close:

All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself…If you're sitting around trying to dream up a great idea, you can sit there a long time before anything happens. But if you just get to work, something will occur to you and something else will occur to you and something else that you reject will push you in another direction. Inspiration is absolutely unnecessary and somehow deceptive. You feel like you need this great idea before you can get down to work, and I find that's almost never the case.

Close’s no-nonsense advice jolts us out of the fantasy that inspiration is some divine force outside our control. Instead, he invites us to roll up our sleeves, sit down at the keyboard, and trust the process.

What does this look like?

Let’s roll up our sleeves and go!

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The Myth of the Lightning Bolt

Thomas Edison once said, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

You could easily change his quote to, “Creativity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

Pop culture doesn’t help our misunderstanding of inspiration. Movies condition us to believe that the great artists experience sudden bursts of genius: a writer pens a bestseller in one sitting, a composer hears a perfect symphony in a dream, or a painter creates a masterpiece after staring at the sunset for 30 seconds.

That’s true on occasion, but it isn’t the norm for anyone—not even the greatest artists.

But, as Close wisely points out, that’s not how real work happens. Waiting for the ideal idea can actually be a trap—a way to procrastinate while convincing ourselves we’re “preparing” for brilliance.

I’m guilty of this offense on more than one occasion.

Six Actionable Steps to Find Your Inspiration

Now that we’ve busted the myth, what’s the alternative? How can you find your own spark without waiting for divine intervention?

1. Show Up Even When You Don’t Feel Like It. Writing, painting, or any creative activity isn’t about feeling ready; it’s about being present. Set a schedule, even if it’s just 15 minutes a day, and honor it. Sit down at your desk, even if you feel about as creative as a soggy piece of toast. Often, inspiration sneaks in once you’ve started.

2. Start Small, Stay Consistent. Instead of trying to write an entire chapter in one sitting, set small, achievable goals. Create your table of contents. Write 100 words. Once you’re in motion, it’s easier to keep going. Momentum is a powerful motivator—and it doesn’t wait for inspiration.

3. Give Yourself Permission to Create Bad Work. Here’s a secret: Most creative geniuses don't create masterpieces every time they sit down. They produced a lot of crap mediocre (and sometimes downright terrible) stuff. Give yourself permission to create junk. You can always revise later, but you can’t revise a blank page.

4. Seek Out Process, Not Perfection. Chuck Close’s advice emphasizes that great ideas arise during the process. Don’t stress about figuring everything out before you start. Begin with what you know, and let the act of doing guide you toward better ideas. Trust the process, not the myth of perfection.

5. Surround Yourself with Creative Inputs. This is one of my go-tos. Inspiration may not strike like lightning, but you can cultivate it by exposing yourself to other ideas. Read books, visit museums, watch thought-provoking films, or listen to music that moves you. Creative inputs fuel your subconscious mind, helping you make connections later during your work.

We're going on a deep dive on this subject in next week's post!

My #1 creative input? A strong cup of coffee.

6. Keep a Notebook for Random Ideas. Great ideas can strike at the strangest moments—when you’re in line at the grocery store or brushing your teeth. Keep a notebook or a notes app (my preference) handy to capture them. These snippets might not be full-fledged ideas, but they can become valuable starting points when you sit down to create.

The Magic Lies in the Doing

At its heart, Close’s advice reminds us that creativity is a discipline, not a feeling. It’s not about waiting for the clouds to part or for some celestial muse to whisper brilliance in your ear. It’s about showing up, doing the work, and trusting that something—good, bad, or ugly—will come of it.

If you’re looking for a sign from God to get writing, THIS IS IT!!

Don’t wait for the perfect idea. Don’t wait to feel ready. Just show up, do the work, and watch as something unfolds—because it always does.

If you still need some spark, click on the button below and I'll be happy to play your muse. 

Let’s bring your book to life!