The Power of Getting Started

(This post is copied from my Patreon page.)

I was journaling about “just getting started” this morning, and then a few minutes ago I saw AfroDJMac’s post on the topic.

I’m usually working on 3-4 projects simultaneously. I think – being a moody Pisces – this usually works for me. When I get stuck or burned out on one song I can just move over to another one. It’s like creative cross-fertilization or crop rotation.

BUT I realized one reason I procrastinate with music stuff is that I get stuck ruminating on “Which project should I work on today?”

Subconsciously I’m weighing it up as this huge investment. Like, I’d better choose the right project or I’ll have wasted my day. In reality I’m wasting my day by not “just getting started”.

I gave myself permission to dump that old story today by saying: just pick one and set a timer for 5 minutes. If it feels like the wrong one when the timer dings, pick another one…

(I had about 40 minutes music time today. I spent 35 of them totally rockin’ out and making big progress on a live performance technique I’ve been trying to figure out! That was five hours ago and I’m still mildly buzzing from it 😆)

I’ve read – and written – quite a bit about the “just get started” thing, but I had never thought of it in terms of inertia and momentum. Whether you’re a musician or not, I think you’ll find AfroDJMac’s inertia/momentum angle helpful too.

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