Just Do It

I guess Nike have given us the modern equivalent of 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may', (Robert Herrick), or 'Carpe Diem', popularly interpreted as, 'Seize the day'. A fuller translation is, 'Pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the future.'

Waiting for the muse to attack (sorry strike), is like reading the diet books and expecting to lose weight without actually doing anything.

It does feel rather writerly to talk about the muse inspiring you, and the words flowing, but those days when she or he doesn't show up are wasted days. In my own experience I've found that when I sit at the laptop and actually apply myself to writing. Anything. Day after day. That's when the muse shows up. Or maybe I just did it myself.

When I write regularly I'm much more receptive to the flashes of inspiration when they arrive. I'm sure those incidents and flashes come whether I'm writing or not, but if I'm not writing, then I'm not as responsive, or aware of them.

If I sit and wait for the inspiration I'm wasting too much time, and the rosebuds are dying. Success in anything, be it writing, playing a musical instrument, getting fit, or anything else you'd like to put here, requires engagement from us. We need to show up, and Just Do It.