The Secret to Content Creation
It has nothing to do with perceived skill.
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“Labor gives birth to ideas.” — Jim Rohn
What is the biggest barrier to consistent content creation?
It is the fear of not having enough ideas. Even if you know where to begin, fear of the well running dry keeps you from even starting. Everything you have to share with the world remains locked away from view.
I have more ideas than I can keep up with.
From the moment I began writing about my life, experiences and perspective nine months ago, my well of ideas has always been full. When I sit down to create, I simply go fishing in my well for something that resonates that day. And something always does.
The secret to content creation is an abundant source of ideas.
How do I do it? I follow a very simple process. You can too!
Create a well for ideas.
Your well can be a simple file. It can be a note-taking app. It can be a book of handwritten notes (Feynman-style). Anything will do as long as it works for you.
Engage with people of interest.
Read their articles and books. Watch their videos. Listen to their podcasts. Enjoy their art. Comment about what you value most on their posts and newsletters. After doing this consistently, DM them and have a video chat.
Fill your well with ideas.
As you engage, ideas of interest will appear frequently. Thoughts will occur. Epiphanies will strike. Capture them in your own words in the moment and make note of the source. Don’t miss a single one. They are all precious!
Go fishing.
Before long, your well of ideas will be full. Congratulations! You have eliminated the biggest barrier to content creation. Now go fishing in your well for an idea that resonates.
Create something.
With squirming idea in hand, start small. Enjoy the act. Leave perfection to others. Experiment and create for the joy it brings. And don’t forget to hit the publish button each time!
All the while, continue engaging with others and collecting new ideas... from their creations and now yours.
🤔 Food for Thought:
Are you struggling to create consistently?
Is it the lack of ideas or something else holding you back?
Are you overcomplicating the creative process?
⚙️ One Small Step:
If you don't know where to begin, just start by engaging with the creations of others. How do they inspire you? What interesting ideas occur to you? Communicate them to the creator. In the process, you are creating your own valuable content. Capture it for later.
When I started writing, my biggest fear was that I will eventually run out of ideas and stop. But after more than a year, I am still publishing! It’s not really about your collection of ideas, but your life. If your life becomes dull and repetitive, you become less curious- which leads to fewer ideas to work with.