Hi Guys
I’ve been going through some rough times recently in regards to motivation and creativity! Somewhere along the way I seemed to have lost sight of both of them… However, going into my fourth year of uni (next year) I really need to boost myself up, to be able to do well!
I was just wandering what you guys do for inspiration and motivation?
(what gives you that extra something to go that extra mile?)
I listen to music that gets me in the right mood for whatever I’m working on. Or read other people’s stuff that I admire. Most of the time though, I try to relax about it and not force creativity, or do something that’s not related to creativity but still leaves my brain free for it. Some of my best story ideas I’ve gotten while swimming.
I lay in my bed in the dark.
I do something that excites me or that I really enjoy, whether it’s hiking, playing music, listening to music, drawing, walking around… whatever. Just look for things that inspire you.
Yeah, creativity can’t be forced (sadly) it comes when it damn pleases. And since we are all different, we get inspired by different things too. My best advice is that you work with others- maybe something they come up will give you ideas (and if it doesn’t, well at least you got the work done! 
)
In my case, mostly I get inspired only after watching a show or playing a game I like. However, my absolutely most creative phase is -I’m not making this up- when I’m sleeping. Yeah, seriously, while most of the time I have WTF dreams like most people, sometimes I’ve come up with all-original premises, even whole stories, while dreaming! For example once I dreamed that I was a man in a coma, and my soul had passed beyond but, not being truly dead, I couldn’t be judged, so I had free ream of both Heaven and Hell until I did die! It turns out both places were rather urban, and I got hired as a trucker ferrying stuff from one side to the other. Doesn’t that sound like a neat premise for a TV show? " Trucker of the Afterlife!" 
If you wrote an RP with that general plotline/theme, I’d totally play in it. I want some kind of outlet to do writing that isn’t academically created or self-consciously literary, and I won’t just do it on my own.
I’ve kind of learned to force creativity in a weird method acting sort of way. It sucks, don’t do it.
Not so surprisingly… that sometimes works for me (much like Wil as well.)
However, everyone made some very good suggestions and I’m going to try some of them out, but like many of you said; It can’t be forced… so I guess I just got to wait and see!
Thanks for tips guys! Much appreciated. 
Arac: I’d love to do a new RP, like you said the fun there is just to go with the flow, bounce ideas off each other and see where it goes rather than plan the whole thing ahead. but we need to discuss it first, maybe get some more people…
Lack of inspiration is just a lack of inspiring events to write about. Being interesting is mostly about having powerful material.
It’s easy to get caught up in self-analysis about why you’re not producing good work, and 90% of the time, the self-analysis gets you nowhere. You just need a better subject. Real life is the place to find one.
I don’t know that that’s true, some of the greatest works of literature are written about the dullest things. There’s not really anything inherently interesting about a mentally challenged kid crying while he “helps” a dickhead named find a quarter.
Absolutely. What’s trivial to one person may be life-altering for another, due to some quirk of his thought structures. Kind of like a few stray neutrons, in the right place, can cause a reaction that wipes out a city.
My point is that, if you’re feeling uninspired thinking about past events, thinking about them more will rarely invest them with new significance. If “helping a dickhead find a quarter” wasn’t meaningful for you at the time, it probably won’t become so after reflection. Better to seek out new experiences, whether by traveling across the world, or just spending a day observing people in the city.
Ah, in that case, I misunderstood you. I mostly agree, but I think re-viewing the past can definitely inspire good material, as well.
Wow, this is the sole reason why I posted this question here… it may not seem it at first appearances, but there’s a whole lot of wisdom around here! Xwing you have a good point, I should get out there and try something new, it’s worked for me in the past and I feel it will work in the future as well. None-the-less, I also agree with you Arac, that past events can spark up inner, dormant creativity and fuel motivation.
Creativity, inspiration and motivation are all different things.
What specifically do you want? Its not clear. In fact, that may be the entire problem.
Well I mainly want to regain my sense of creativity and find a source of motivation to help me with day-to-day activities (mainly my studies.) As for inspiration… I guess that’s more of the process to achieving these outcomes.
Creativity for what?
Motivation for what?
Inspiration for what?
Everything is about achieving outcomes and only in very few situations are these all the same. How do you define these terms? Its hard to discuss solutions if we’re not all talking about the same thing.
From my perspective, there are areas of overlap between creativity and inspiration, where inspiration provides source material. Inspiration can also provide ideals, long term goals. Motivation then comes the desire to achieve those goals / ideals.
What are you reaching for? Right now, to me, that’s not clear. For example, if you can’t remind yourself of why it is you’re doing your courses for your last year of undergrad, then in all likelihood what you’re doing is pointless and you have larger issues at hand than finding daily motivation. A degree is a means to an end and if you have no end point you’re reaching to, then ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing if it is to go nowhere. This is not an answer we can provide for you and if you can’t find one for yourself, then deeper introspection into what you really want is warranted.
Man did I ever kill this thread.
Yeah, WAY TO GO, SIN. YOU AND YOUR LOGICAL PROBLEM SOLVING TACTICS.
Sorry. I’ll try to be less helpful next time. 