That title may be odd to most. These are two opposites equated as the same. Can opposites exist and morph from one to the other? I say they can!

This column is focused on writing when I feel no burning desire to write. This is about doing anything without inspiration. How can creativity flow without the reality of inspiration? I have written often about things which I find inspiration. However, what if there is no inspiration? What do you do? Mind you, this is not only concerning the action of writing.

I have often stopped. I have often let inaction dictate. There is always something else to do or to distract. If I haven’t felt it, I often haven’t written. That was a lack of commitment more than a lack of inspiration.

Creativity is the flip side of the coin whose front is discipline. All too often I have looked to the reverse of that coin rather than the obverse. As I write even about not being in the midst of inspiration I discover that joy beginning to flow. Action is the best way to discover insight.

I just like to type one word and then another to put ideas onto paper or screen. The action of typing, writing, thinking are necessary for inspiration to flip the coin of discipline to inspiration. I’d rather feel it always and just let the words flow easily. That is not reality! Life does not always flow. Sometimes the flow is frozen and must be heated. Discipline of writing, or working of any kind, is the torch of necessity in bringing about creativity and inspiration.

So my inspiration is not so one-sided. It may come quickly and easily but it often does not. It may come through work of choosing words and ideas, of clearing away weeds and rocks and brush before the land can be tilled and fertilized and planted.

I committed in the first of this year to write every day of this year. That commitment was off base. Writing daily is fine but I have realized that writing this column is better on a weekly basis. If I commit to writing daily in any type and weekly in this blog I become more inspire for all types of writing, and all kinds of work.

My hope in this blog post is motivation for work no matter the feeling. You may not be able to look at your situation differently prior to start of a task. So what? Start the task however imperfectly and without insight. The faithful action will open your heart and mind to more possibilities than you will encounter by waiting for inspiration to change your vision.

Whatever you are doing in your life, DO IT! Don’t wait for the great word or fantastic thought, write! Get into the imperfect mess of this world and this market place. Put words together into thoughts and thoughts together into coherent direction. Put your work and action together into a meaningful life. The Nike slogan, with the swish, is Just Do It! That could have been the title of this blog post. Just do whatever moves you further into action. Inspiration will comes, trust it! Sometimes it arrives early and easily. Sometimes it does in the midst of clearing much ground or melting a frozen thought.

I love the action of writing. It unlocks necessary parts of my being. It inspires me when I am not inspired. So discipline is it’s only inspiration. I trust that truth. You can trust it as well.

Just Do It!