Get stories from an adventurous writer, fly fisher, and content marketer. After 25 years of writing I've learned a thing or two, join me as I share that knowledge, offer up insight in surviving as a writer, and talk about fishing (and nature and marketing and whatever else is on my mind that day).
Just keep swimming - let’s talk momentum
Hi Reader,
One of the hardest aspects of being a creative business owner can be getting started. Well, maybe not quite getting started. That’s often pretty easy. The challenge comes with keeping it at.
Momentum is a tricky thing to build. Even now, 13 years into freelancing full-time (and 25 years into my career) I struggle with it. In fact, it’s the reason why I started off strong with this newsletter and then seemingly stopped (that and jetlag).
Sometimes the shiny wears off a new idea and you’re left wondering what the hell you’re supposed to do next. Sometimes business is slow and you’re in a spot where you’re kind of enjoying the downtime, but also worrying about finding work. Whatever the reason, it can feel hard to keep going. But, unless you’re doing this as a very part-time side hustle and you don’t need to keep at it, you have to push yourself over the hump.
The big question, though, is how? Well, it’s gonna be a little different for everybody, but here are a few things I find helpful when I’m struggling to build momentum (or keep it up).
- Take a break - This one only works if you don’t have a deadline. And, while it might seem counterproductive to take a break when you’re struggling to start, sometimes you need time away from something to work on it. This works, at least for me, because it relieves a bit of pressure you’re putting on yourself. Rather than sitting there, glowering at the computer and hating yourself for not working, you’re doing something else (preferably something you enjoy). When I need to take a break, I usually find a nice remote spot without service in the mountains and do a little fishing. Shifting my focus like that gives my brain a break and usually, by the end of the day, I’m usually in a better place to get working.
- Start small - This idea has been around for a long time, but was popularized by James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. Don’t take on the whole task at once. Break it down into smaller bits and work on those. Don’t start your entire website, decide on a theme first. Don’t focus on writing your whole book, start with the first 100 words. When you think of something as a series of smaller tasks, instead of one big one, it seems easier. You’re still doing the same work, but you’re feeling accomplished every day instead of thinking, “Damn. I only wrote 100 words today.” Plus, as Clear points out, each time you sit down and do the smaller task, you move incrementally closer to your ultimate goal.
- Don’t start at the beginning - Sometimes I get hung up on getting started. I know what I have to do. I know that I can do it. There’s something about the beginning that is a struggle (if you’ve ever written a B2B blog post intro, you probably know what I’m talking about). So skip the intro. Don’t start at the beginning. Start a paragraph (or entire section) into what you’re working on. This helps you trick your brain into thinking you’re already well into what you’re working on, even though you’re just starting.
At the end of the day, remember that you’re only human. You’re a person attempting to do something big, to create something that is yours and that takes time. Everyone struggles to build momentum. So be kind to yourself and be patient if getting started isn’t as easy as you’d like it to be. At some point, you’ll find your groove.
Cheers,
Doug
PS: What do you find works best for building momentum? Reply and let me know.
Wanna work with me? Hit reply or visit my website.
Follow me on the socials
Subscribe to my newsletter
Get stories from an adventurous writer, fly fisher, and content marketer. After 25 years of writing I've learned a thing or two, join me as I share that knowledge, offer up insight in surviving as a writer, and talk about fishing (and nature and marketing and whatever else is on my mind that day).
Hi Reader, When was the last time you actually slowed down? Not just for a day, but for long enough to start noticing what’s going on in your business. It’s probably been a while, hasn’t it? Hustle culture kind of demands that we go, go, go all the time, leaving us little room to slow down, stop, or even pause for any real length of time. However, if you don’t slow down, you can’t hear your business speak to you. I know it sounds a bit woo, but the reality is when you're going fast all the...
Hi Reader, Sorry for the double send. It was brought to my attention that something went wrong with my first attempt. ***** In my last email, I talked about how important having a solid network is. It’s one of the most important parts of your business that isn’t actually working. But, what happens when you’re not the best at connecting with people? It’s harder, for one, to grow your network. This is something that always held me back. I’m not really a people person. I mean, I’m friendly...
Hi Reader, In my last email, I talked about how important having a solid network is. It’s one of the most important parts of your business that isn’t actually working. But, what happens when you’re not the best at connecting with people? It’s harder, for one, to grow your network. This is something that always held me back. I’m not really a people person. I mean, I’m friendly enough and I get along well with most people, but getting out there and meeting new people? That’s definitely not my...