Some days, it’s hard to get motivated to write. Today has been one of those days. (Incidentally, this can be especially frustrating when it’s what you do for a living.)
I really dislike it when I don’t feel inspired or motivated; days when I’m not really sure if I’ve got anything relevant to say (although I’m sure some would question whether I ever have anything relevant to say).
Days like these, it’s really tempting to just skip it and veg out (or catch up on my reading).
But it’s also these dry moments that help me develop discipline as a writer.
It’s easy to check out and do something else. But it’s harder to stick with it, sharpen your skills and increase your understanding of your craft.
In some ways, it’s like developing a regular habit of reading the Bible. Follow me down this rabbit trail, for a moment…
There are days when I open up my Bible and my time studying is very rich and deep and exciting; I’ll have 5 pages written in my journal and I’ll have only read a verse.
Those days are fun.
Then there are days when I don’t even feel like opening my Bible; maybe my reading that week’s been a bit “dry” or I’m not really dealing with an issue that God wants me to deal with, so it gets difficult to even open the Book. When days like that show up, I’m faced with a decision: Do I read my Bible or do I skip it?
And if I skip it today, will I feel more like doing it tomorrow?
Here’s the thing I’m trying to remember, particularly during unmotivated, uninspired days: Things that are worth doing always require effort.
Writing’s not always going to be easy, any more than reading my Bible is always going to be easy. I’m not always going to be “inspired.” There will always be distractions; there will always be dishes to do, leftovers to pack up or a toddler who wants me to toss her about like a rag doll.
But having the discipline to sit down and write—whether I feel “inspired” or not, regardless of distractions that always pop up—will bear fruit in the end.
