Better than going viral
The pressure to “go viral” is exhausting.
Honestly, I didn’t think I cared to go “viral” because I genuinely don’t care to get millions of new eyes and ears on the things I create.
But I do find myself wanting to create and share something that will change my life overnight.
This desire for my life to magically transformed with one piece of creative work is what’s underneath the lure of going “viral.”
I might not care to garner the attention of millions, but I do have anxiety in my creative work because I feel that I must create something that will finally take me where I want to go.
Like I said, it’s exhausting and unnecessarily discouraging.
This Is Better Than Going Viral
Instead of hoping to change my life overnight, I’ve been asking myself:
What actions in my creative craft have a high likelihood of paying off in 5 years?
I can get easily distracted by this new thing and that new idea.
Again, this distraction is rooted in a desire for “quick wins.” But chasing after quick wins keeps me from investing every day in the things that, over time, will help me move forward in the things I long to do and be.
This year I have developed eight things I try to do daily. These are my most important priorities most days because I believe that they offer me the biggest payoff in the long run.
Disclaimer: These eight things are my ideal day – I don’t often succeed in making all of these things happen every day. But they serve as a roadmap, helping me evaluate if my days have been meaningful. Even when I “fall off the wagon” in an area (or six!), this list of priorities helps me get back on track.
My daily habits:
Read the Bible and pray – 1 hr
Family Worship – 20 mins
Family Workout – 10 mins (workout with kids)
Write – 1 hr
Songwriting – 30 mins
Personal workout – 45 mins
Read/take notes – 1 hr
Intentionally engage on social media – 30 mins
A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. When you don’t know what to do next, your routine tells you.”
Annie Dillard
In his book “Keep Going” (highly recommend, btw. click here to grab a copy), Austin Kleon talks about embracing the personal “groundhog day.” He argues that our best creative efforts come from the repetitive nature of work.
Embracing a “groundhog day” is submitting to living the same day over and over again and letting go of the idea that you will one day be “crowned the triumphant hero and live happily ever after.”
My instinct is to absolutely hate and despise this idea.
But I’ve come to value it and am starting to see it as beautiful and meaningful.
I’ve realized I’m tired of gambling with my life and creative work.
I have very little control over how the world or the algorithms will react to a post or a piece of creative work.
But I have this little piece of land called “my days” that God has given me. And it’s a joy to spend my time cultivating the things I can control.
The only thing we can really control is what we spend our days on. What we work on and how hard we work on it.
Austin Kleon
The truth is, if I spend my days on good investments, it’s likely that I’ll experience growth over time, and I’m more likely to reach the things I desire.
Life is full of “letting go.” I have to let go of the fact that I’m not where I want to be today, and no matter what I post or create, I likely won’t be there tomorrow.
Instead of being in a hurry to get to some undefined magical land, a better use of my time is to figure out what kind of fruit I want to grow and spend my days farming and cultivating the land I have.
