“Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper. Down deep, the fish are more powerful and more pure.They’re huge and abstract. And they’re very beautiful.” — David Lynch, Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity

A daily blog post means going to the well every morning and seeing what comes to the surface. The blog posts that felt the most rushed while writing feel shallow on review. It’s not the time taken to write them, but the mindset going into it. The muse doesn’t like to be rushed, but on her terms sometimes words and ideas flow quickly. Routine helps set the mood, but I’ve learned to be patient and everything flows soon enough.

Ideas don’t come easily when we’re distracted. Carving out quiet space gives the mind room to roam. Of course, some days are easier for roaming than others, and we ship our work with the depth we’re capable of in the moment.

Often times I write a paragraph or two and walk away from the blog to do something else for a while. When I return to the work, I bring with me a fresh perspective on things. I channel this newfound energy into better writing. The end product may or may not impress, but it’s surely better. And ultimately, better is what we’re all seeking on our lifelong path towards personal excellence.