Thursday, May 8, 2008

Sugar High Cotton



Einstein once defined insanity as repeatedly doing the same thing but expecting different results.

I've been doing that. I noticed years ago that I'm much more awake and productive when I don't have any sugar or caffeine. Sure, they're fun in the short term, but once they've burned up in my system I'm more sluggish and slow than I was before.

And I noticed that I'm much more inventive and creative when I have some quiet, when I'm not futzing around online and when there's no television or music playing. At first, I can be mildly nervous, but eventually I calm down and all kinds of ideas start coming to me. Really good, clever ideas (that I, in my laziness, will never make use of).

Even knowing that, I still fall back into old habits that limit my productivity and inventiveness.

I know what to do.
I know how to do it.
Why is it so damned hard to take the third step and actually do it?

(I know it's not funny, but drawing of the girl who goes to the bathroom a lot makes me laugh. And person who make the picture knew that "a lot" is two words. Hurray!)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

you don't take the third step and do it because doing so would take you out of your comfort zone. you admit that you fall back into old habits. those old habits are your comfort zone and it's scary to leave that zone.
keep thinking about how creative and inventive you are when step outside your comfort zone and use that as your motivation the next time you start to fall back to the old habits.
dude ... you're a very talented individual. don't limit your potential by playing it safe.

Anonymous said...

i found this article in last sunday's NY Times business section and thought of you.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/business/04unbox.html?em&ex=1210651200&en=084617e3b814e475&ei=5087%0A
if the link doesn't work, go to the NYTimes website, the business section, and look for the article entitled "unboxed" by janet rae-dupree. it's in the most read/most emailed section on the right side.
if you can't find it, post something and i'll send you more information.