If you’re waiting for the Muse to show up so you can "create", you might just be waiting a very long time. Possibly forever. Sounds heartless and painfully insensitive to the creative spirit and artistic nature that you are working so hard to preserve and protect, doesn’t it?

This amusing attitude is all well and good if you haven’t stepped out into the real world yet, and possibly have the luxury of waiting for inspiration to arrive and fill your mind with fresh never-before-thought-of ideas, perennial wisdom and eternal insights.

At the risk of being a downer, a spoilsport, the wet blanket to your wide-eyed wonder, the fact is that waiting for inspiration just doesn’t work. At least not very often in the actual world where creative professionals work and play. When it does, rejoice. Hallelujah. Do your happy dance. High five everyone in the room. These eureka moments don’t happen every day so when they do, celebrate. Even if it’s just a little party inside your head.

Cartoon Image of a Man sitting at a desk actively creating on paper

But if you really want to create, not just once in a while, but all the time, consistently, day in and day out, then you’ve got to be disciplined and work at it. Not very sexy, but true. And if you’re serious about making a living at any creative endeavour, you’ve got to be prepared to put in the time, sit at your desk and plod, toil, and grind away.

Even on the days when you think, "I’ve got nothing," you’ve got to show up, tune in and turn it out. And chances are, while you’re busy diligently working your craft, the Muse will show up and inspiration will strike.