Throughout my life whenever I didn’t want to tackle a project I procrastinated. I convinced myself that it could wait and ended up hating myself for tackling it at the last minute and not allowing myself the time to complete it to the level I knew I was capable of. What was my excuse? I had everything at my disposal, but I wasn’t using what was available to me. Instead I used excuses to keep me from completing my work.

Photo by: Pedro Da Silva, Unsplash

What causes us to slow down in our careers, passions, and life? I mean life happens and things get in the way of our careers, but what happens when you have everything at your disposal, and you’re still not moving towards your goals?

I love listening to podcasts. One day, I heard an artist say that procrastination is another way of sabotaging success. It’s better to stay in the safe zone than to step out of your comfort zone into the unknown. I must say I felt like God was yelling at me. I felt convicted because I had so many unfinished projects. I knew exactly what I was doing even though I wasn’t admitting it to myself. I was sabotaging my life. There is a saying, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t,” meaning it’s easier to stay on the road that you know and live comfortably, than to walk into uncharted territory. As humans it’s natural to always stay in our little bubble because it’s less threatening than facing our fears.

Mural by Aaron Blanco, Unsplash

Frank Lloyd Wright may have done much during his lifetime, but he wasn’t always that focused. He was known to do last minute designs for clients. I’m talking about hours before he had t­o present them. It’s amazing what being under pressure will do for you.

Leonardo Da Vinci left us with some of the most famous pieces of art. He wasn’t always that focused. His benefactor usually threatened him with bankruptcy to push him to finish commissions. It took Da Vinci 16 years to finish the Mona Lisa, 16 years people! Even this great master artist had trouble with procrastination.

Mozart wrote the overture for his famous opera Don Giovanni the night before it was shown.  During the start of the opera, the ink on the music sheet was still wet, and it was performed without ever rehearsing. 

Psychologists say that it’s linked to low self-esteem. Procrastinators have more negative thoughts about themselves compared to people that don’t procrastinate. This negativity mindset stops our motivation and performance. They dislike themselves because guilt triggers more procrastination.  

Photo by Jessie Orrico, Unsplash

Scientists have identified a gene which is associated with the release of dopamine. Non-procrastinators have a version of this gene that gives them high levels of dopamine and allows them to control their behavior. Procrastinators have a version of this gene that causes them to have lower levels of dopamine, but when they are stressed out higher levels of dopamine are released to get them going. There you go…that explains Mozart, Da Vinci, and Frank Lloyd Wright.

The bible says in  Exodus 31:3-5 “And I have filled him with the Spirit of God with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills, to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.” See that verse right there! God has already equipped us with what we need.

Organization

I’m the type of person that needs to see my supplies in order to get motivated.  I’ve cleaned my studio to maintain order, the problem is if I can’t see my art supplies, I have a hard time getting my creative juices flowing.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating a mess, or disorganization.  I’m just saying that I need a system that not only keeps my supplies in order but allows me to see them in case the creative bug hits me. 

So, how do I get ready when inspiration hits? Having supplies ready to go means having less excuses to procrastinate. Think about what mediums you like working with the most. For example, if you like to work in pastels, you will have a pastel kit available placed in a visible space as a daily reminder to paint or draw in pastels. I love using all kinds of supplies, but by narrowing this down you will create more exciting pieces.

Sometimes being limited helps you invent new possibilities. You have to MacGyver it up!  Oh boy…. did I just give my age away? I know many of you won’t get that quote. MacGyver was a show I watched in the 80’s about a guy who used whatever was available to get out of dangerous situations. I travel a lot, and sometimes I have trouble getting motivated, so I make sure to have kits of different mediums available so I can still create on the go. Whether that’s a pad and a pencil set, or watercolor travel kit, pastels, acrylics, anything I’ve thought ahead of for a piece I might have in mind. This way there are no excuses. I have the travel kits, and they nag me in the back of my mind.

When I’m home, I have my studio.  I’ve made sure to leave my art supplies in a visible place. If you don’t have a studio, keep a little kit in sight as a reminder. You can change the contents every week so you can rotate in between mediums. This keeps everything in order and is available when the mood strikes.