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“Don’t confuse getting inspired with getting things done. Create before you consume.” Marie Forleo
Sheila’s advisory practice was in growth mode. Her big challenge? Devoting the time to build her digital platform to grow beyond her current client base. But Sheila decided to make content creation—an article plus a few blog posts a month—a priority. Like clockwork, Sheila blocked time on her calendar to write. She even stockpiled a couple of months’ worth just to give herself some wiggle room.
Darryl’s plate was every bit as full as Sheila’s. The difference? When it came to commitment—actually producing a piece of content—he had a raft of excuses. Most of them sounded something like this: “Well, I had this idea and then I did a web search and I watched seven videos, scanned about 20 articles and found five other people who already wrote about it. I just couldn’t get inspired, so I stopped.”
No surprise that his content is sporadic. The central theme of his message—his brand—is constantly diluted since he only produces what he feels like in the moment. Instead of an authority, he comes across as a yawn.
Drowning in other people’s content can be a major obstacle to continually spreading your message. It can start to feel like every new idea you have has already been done. By people with a bigger platform than you. So why bother to do the work?
Talk about a creativity killer.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Not if you remember: first, you create.
Whether it’s blogging, making videos, drafting your game-changing marketing piece or writing your break-out book.
You have to start.
Of course you’ll do your research—you’re not a hack. You must know who’s doing what in your space. And you may gather inspiration from them and those playing large elsewhere.
But then you have to begin.
You can’t wait for inspiration to strike. Ask any working writer—they aren’t walking around deciding the perfect moment to start writing. They face the empty page.
And they start writing.
Your first draft is never the final draft, but it produces the ideas that will put you on the path to making your final piece a must-read, must-watch addition to your body of work.
It’s the difference between those who build authority and those who seekauthority.
Which will it be for you?