A few years back I read an interview where Joss Whedon was talking about how he is able to stay extremely productive as a creative.
Joss found the time to film Much Ado About Nothing while he was editing the movie The Avengers (1.519 billion USD box office sales).
Joss Mentioned something that has stuck with me for a few years now, and it’s this idea of filling your tank.
Think of your brain as a tank.
Every time you read a book, look at amazing art, or come across an incredible idea you store it away in your tank as inspiration to use later.
You store up all of this inspiration inside of your head and when it is time to work on your art project you open up the valve and the inspiration pours out into your work.
You work and work and work to make something incredibly inspiring.
The longer you work, the more inspiration you pour out from the tank.
A few days later you start a new project and try to get the engine going but inspiration is nowhere to be found.
You’ve hit creative block. Your tank is empty.
So what do you do to fill the tank back up and get inspired again?
Well if you’re Joss Whedon then you go binge-read some books and go to the theater.
I got two weeks every year, and in that vacation I read, in 14 days, 10 books. My wife and I saw like nine plays, and that’s all we did. We just filled the tanks. -Joss Whedon
So the next time you start to get burnt out and wonder where your inspiration went, take some time to fill your tanks.
I’m actually going through this process right now.
I just started writing content for the Smart Artist Income blog back in March.
Over the course of March and April I managed to write and edit over 40 blog posts (roughly 28,647 words).
Now we’re in May and I just don’t have that same excitement and inspiration when I sit down to write.
I’m a little burnt out. Even though I want to keep writing I know it will serve me better to take a break for a few days and fill up the tank.
For the next week or so I’ll be waking up at 6am to read books, journal (for myself), and consume as much inspiration as I can.
This is how I plan on keeping my inspiration and motivation levels up so that I can better serve you and the SAI community.
Now get out there, fill your tanks, and make great art. See ya!
-Brandon Mikel Paul
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