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How can I find the discipline to follow through on what I set out to do? Dear creative mind, this is the question we’ll explore together in this episode. If you noticed yourself getting stuck somewhere in the process of starting or completing projects, even when you have a plan… let’s try to untangle that knot together.

Discipline is something we all strive for as creative minds, but can’t seem to ever really touch… we might be crystal clear on the big picture vision, we might even have a plan to get there… but when it comes to following through on that plan, we get stuck. Maybe we feel lost, maybe we procrastinate, maybe we ruminate, maybe we overthink, maybe we even doubt the plan… and then, not much happens.

Here are some reflections you may want to consider to answer this question:

1. What if you can’t follow the plan because the plan doesn’t follow… you?

What if you decided to see it the other way around? Maybe your energy should be invested in finding how this plan can actually support you, instead of becoming a slave to it. What are some shifts you can make to the plan to better suit your needs? What can you do so the plan follows you, so that it becomes easier to follow through on it?

2. What if it’s not that you can’t do it but it’s that deep down you don’t want to?

We’re usually wired to move towards pleasure and move away from pain. Pain can look many ways— physical or emotional pain, shame, judgment, rejection, guilt, boredom… You’ll most likely have to go through some amount of pain to follow through on your plan as it is actually important to learn to take action in spite of discomfort— that’s how you build resilience. However, maybe there is some discomfort that you could potentially eliminate: believing you need to struggle, thinking it needs to be hard or complicated, investing energy into strategies that just don’t work for you, giving away your precious energy and self-sacrificing… Ask yourself if there are ways to make this process more enjoyable. You’re creating art: it’s an honour, a privilege. Treat it as such. How can you make it feel more like play, and less like work? Are you forcing yourself to work towards goals that are not exciting for you? And if those goals are not exciting but necessary, how can you make them a bit more attractive or fun?

3. What if you feel overwhelmed because the plan is actually overwhelming?

Perhaps, it’s not (only) about discipline and your but plan is actually overwhelming (or maybe your way of seeing the plan is overwhelming). Overwhelm happens when we see the whole staircase instead of the very next step. Dealing with only what’s ahead of us, step by step, helps minimize overwhelm. It’s normal that it feels challenging to follow through on the plan if you’re focused on the top of the mountain. Take the first step. Focus on that step. Bring all your attention to that step. Be present with that step. It’s the only way you can learn what you need to get to step 2.

4. Do you have a plan B? Do you have a plan for when plan A doesn’t go according to plan?

If at some point our initial plan doesn’t work for us anymore, but we don’t know what else we can do… it’s normal to get stuck there. Plans rarely (never) go according to plan. So get a plan B: “If this scenario happens, then I will…”.

Also, you don’t have to do this alone. Ask for support. Find an accountability partner, find a community, work with a coach. It’s wonderful to have a plan, but it’s as important if not more important to support yourself in taking action on that plan… if you usually get anxious, what are ways you can self soothe when it happens? If you tend to lose momentum quickly, what are ways you can support yourself in sustaining it? If you know you tend to say yes to every project and deplete your energy, what are some boundaries you can set in advance? If you tend to lose focus and end up working on other projects, what are some boundaries you can set around that?

One last thought for you today… Having a plan can give us the illusion of control. We might stay stuck in the plan because taking action on it will bring us out of our comfort zone and into the unknown. Investigate your need for control… and explore what you CAN actually control.