In Search of the 5%

“Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just show up and get to work.”

Chuck Close, from his interview published in Inside the Painter's Studio.

Painter’s Block?

I no longer wait for inspiration. I just show up every morning on a schedule and start writing. When I first began my writing habit, I would sit and stare at the blank page. There, the struggling would begin. I didn’t know how “real” writers could fill page after page every day while I couldn’t find the momentum, much less an entry point to let the words even begin to flow. But in my quest to build the identity of the writer, I’ve adopted this mentality. Just show up and get to work. If it's good enough for the professionals, it's good enough for me. So I’ve given myself permission to write even if it’s ugly and messy. In fact, I have a notecard posted above my computer that says, “don’t get it perfect, get it written.” In his interview, painter Chuck Close said he’s never suffered from “painter’s block.” He just shows up and works. I love that! And that mentality gives us the freedom to overcome the resistance of any creative task. It allows us freedom to explore and play. To churn out a lot of quantity. And when we work with quantity, there is often a glimmer of quality.

The 95%

“My ideas are 95% flushable.” This is one of my favorite quotes. It’s from my mentor and friend, David Hayes. David is an idea machine. He is an artist of thought, churning out creative ways to put action to his metacognition. I love his combination of transparency and fearlessness when it comes to developing innovative ways to address the very real needs of this world. But he will be the first to tell you that not all of his ideas are great. In fact, he says most are “flushable.” I love this way of thinking! This mentality gives us permission to dream and creatively play. This creative process is often pretty messy and sometimes risky but absolutely necessary. We can’t be afraid of false starts, and we most certainly cannot fear bad ideas. We are in search of the 5%. So there is a lot of the 95% to wade through in the process of the search.

My Conversation With the Page

Ink and paper. Keyboards and computer screens. This is how my daily conversation with the page begins. When we walk up to a dear friend, we just smile and start talking. We don’t need to plan an entry point. We don’t edit and struggle to find the perfect word or phrasing. We talk. We engage. We share in a conversation, and later when we reflect on that conversation we don’t remember most of what we say. But we do remember, I don’t know...maybe 5% of what was said. Now clearly I’m not implying that time with friends is "flushable," but I am saying that time is all part of the conversation. Part of the process. Part of the relationship. With this in mind, I have a daily conversation with the page. I sit down and smile. Then together we share in the experience.

Nothing is Wasted Because it All Belongs

It is clear that our efforts matter because we find quality within the quantity. The 95% is the effort that shows we care. The 5% we remember is the gift we get in return for our efforts. When we show up and do the work, we don’t need to rely on inspiration. The relationship is what matters in work and in life. Thank you, David Hayes. Your wisdom gives us all permission to fearlessly dream, fearlessly experiment, and fearlessly play. We are just a bunch kids on the playground of life. Showing up and doing the “work.”

Appreciate and embrace the 95%.

The 95% belongs. The 95% is not wasted. The 95% is part of the path.

Don't wait for inspiration. That's for amateurs. Do the work.

Appreciate the experience. Embrace it all.

And I hope you find your 5%.

Enjoy the day. All 100% of it.