Doing it when You don’t Want to

I think there’s a myth that if you’re an artist you’re doing art all the time. Or that you want to be doing art all the time. Or that you should wait until desire strikes you to do art.

Ok maybe there are several myths.

I believe none of these are true.

I don’t believe there’s anyone on this earth who wants to do something all the time. We, as humans, tend to go through cycles. Sometimes we feel creative, other times we don’t. Sometimes we feel blocked. Sometimes we feel tired. Overwhelmed. Uninspired. I think artists and non-artists alike feel these cycles. The difference between those who continue to just do art and those who don’t is just that.

They do it.

Art, and anything else, gets done when you do it. I believe that if we all waited for inspiration to strike before we did anything, most of us would be doing nothing most of the time. At least it’s true for me. Actually, for me, it seems like I am not moved to do anything consistently. There are some rare times I really want to sit and create a layout or make a page in my art journal. But most of the time, I’d rather just sit on the couch and surf the net, watch TV or read a book.

Not because I am lazy but because it’s the easy thing to do. And my body is tired, my mind and soul are too. They all just want to rest and take the easy route out. They don’t know that the easy route is also the unfulfilling one. They just know it’s easy. It requires the least motion, inspiration, and willpower.

This is one of the reasons I’m a big believer in the schedule. I find that if it’s on my schedule, I just do it. I don’t wait to be inspired, excited, or even have an idea. I sit at my table and an idea just comes. And if it doesn’t come, then I pick an art supply I’ve wanted to use and start putting some color on the page. I just start. I do it even if I’m not feeling it.

Same with the exercise. I get up and I am so so tired. I barely can open my eyes and I still get on that stupid treadmill. The first minutes are dreadful, but I always get into it. By the end of the first half-mile, I know I can do it. I just keep going until it’s over. I don’t think about it, I don’t whine, I don’t think about giving up. I just do it.

Same with just about anything else in my life. There are very few things that I seem to consistently want and most of those are bad for me. (Like eating chocolate. I can’t remember a time that didn’t sound good to me.) But when it comes to pretty much anything else, I don’t consistently feel the desire to do it. I just do it.

This is not to say there aren’t times when it’s ok not to do it. It’s perfectly fine to go through a stage where you explore around more and get inspiration from your surroundings, from nature, from other artists. Or change up the routine some. There’s a time for rest, too. Rest is really important. For your body, mind, and soul. They all need rest.

But this is to say, don’t wait to want to do it. Just get up and do it. Take the first step. Even if all you end up with is a colored background, a quarter-mile walk, a few pushups, it’s still better than not taking that first step. Because this way, tomorrow all you’ll have to do is just take the next step. And before you know it, you’ll be all the way there. Wherever there is for you.

The trick is not wanting to do it.

It’s just doing it.

So, get up and do it. Right this moment.

Now.

It is time.