When you feel blocked (and can't create), here is why...
May 13, 2024
The other day I was having coffee with my friend Kristian.
We were talking about the process of creating videos.
I shared something with him that I realized after filming hundreds of videos for YouTube:
Often, when I sit down to record...
I keep “messing up” over and over.
I stumble over my words and it takes a bunch of attempts to finally finish the video.
It’s not fun, drains my energy, and the video comes off as kinda fake.
I asked Kristian if that ever happened to him.
He said:
“Oh definitely.”
If you’ve ever tried to record a video of yourself, I'm sure you can relate.
There’s something a bit terrifying about talking — when the camera is on.
Here's the weird part...
At that point in our conversation, Kristian and I had been at the coffee shop for about an hour together.
We had spent the entire time talking passionately about a lot of things around business, creation and spirituality.
I asked him this:
“Since you and I started talking today, have either of us stumbled over our words or had to stop and start our sentences over and over again?”
“Nope”, he said.
Isn’t that interesting?
Why is it hard to talk when the camera is on, yet so easy to be in conversation with another human being (talking about the same things)?
Here's the difference:
When having a present conversation with a friend, there's ONE of you.
When turning on the camera, there's TWO of you.
#1 - You are there, of course.
You, the consciousness that is sitting there talking to the camera.
(the same consciousness that was at the coffee shop talking to your friend)
#2 - Your identity is there.
Your identity is your mind-made self. Your ego.
It is a collection of ever-changing thoughts you have about yourself, the way you’re being perceived by others, and the image that you want to cultivate for them.
When filming a video, it’s common for the mind-made self to take the front-and-center position.
From the moment the camera is on, the perception of "how this video will be perceived" is all you can think about.
When you open your mouth to let words come out, you aren’t fully present with the words.
Part of your brain is being used to say the words.
Another part of your brain is analyzing the words as they come out.
When our identities take center stage, creativity becomes blocked.
We become obsessed with the way we will be perceived (pre-creation) and the creation comes out as a shell of itself (if it comes out at all).
If the goal of creation is to solidify and enhance our egos, the creation won't be that good, AND it will be hard to get out.
That's what is really going on when we stumble over our words when we turn on a camera.
Yet, we can talk about the same topic to a good friend at a coffee shop — with ease.
This Applies to All Creation
This of course does not just apply to creating videos...
(although video tends to trigger identity awareness the most due to the vulnerable nature of the format).
This applies to writing, posting images, painting a picture, and writing a song.
It applies to whatever you’re trying to create.
This prevents you from getting into the present moment — where true creativity can flow — unobstructed.
When you drop your self-image entirely...
When you stop creating to get accolades, pats-on-the-back, (or any kind of self-enhancement whatsoever)...
THAT is when you can begin to share your true gifts with the world.
THAT is when you can create what will truly be helpful to others.
And, as a bonus, consider this:
What if the success you've been chasing as a creator would quickly follow?
Drop the focus on self-image, because it is blocking your creativity.
Create on, freely.
Brian
P.S. - The above is a teaser from my upcoming book "Creators Block", expected to publish fall/winter 2024.
If you want to be notified when the book is live, check the comments for the waiting list page.
