When Lightning Doesn’t Strike

For those of us lucky enough to work at the stuff we love to do, most of the time the creativity flows reasonably well. But sometimes it doesn’t.

Because we are lucky enough to spend all or most of our time doing the work which just seems so natural, it’s not a question that we don’t have the skill set, the knowledge, the experience, or the training. Those things are all givens when most of the time our work seems more like play.

But even if you’re Einstein, Springstein, or Bernstein, there will be times when you sit at your desk or pick up your guitar and have no idea what to do next. No matter how bright you may be or how naturally talented, there are days when the juices won’t flow, and more often than not, those days are the very times you’re under the gun to perform.

The first thing to keep in mind in those horrid moments is that you are in fact very good at what you do, and even at 80%, you’re still probably going to be the best in the room. This isn’t to give you a swelled head, it’s just a reflection that you are in the place you are supposed to be professionally.

The second thing to remember is that nobody else likely knows you’re suffering a lapse in creativity. As a professional and as a creator, you are by far your own most severe critic. Give yourself a little slack.

Third, if you just pick up your guitar, or walk out on stage, or take your place at counsel table, things will inevitably sort themselves out. This is not your first rodeo, as they say, and because you’ve practiced and practiced and practiced, and because you’re done your homework, your normal self will come back to you.

When in his eighties, Christopher Plummer walked out on stage in Banff and his mind went blank. Couldn’t recall a word. He walked around until the orchestra struck up, then went and sat on a chair, still on stage. By the time the music ended, he had it all back. And nobody knew the difference.

While not all of us have an orchestra to rescue us, most of us, most of the time, can hum and haw and do a little tap dance until it all comes back.

This all assumes, of course, that you are in the place where life meant you to be, where your giftings, your experience, and your training all converge on excellence. But if you’re out there beating your head against the wall every day and wishing you were somewhere else, these dreadful “no lightning” days occur with monotonous frequency. In which case we need to talk.