Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Dear Steve,

First, the courage you exhibited by making such a bold statement was very impressive.  Second, the frustration inherent in the statement was both heartbreaking and familiar.  After reading the posts and looking at your website, I think I get it.  I think you have "creator`s block".  I also think you are being too hard on yourself.

I think someone already suggested this, but I have to agree and put it back out there: Just step back.  If you don`t, that feeling of having one shoe nailed to the floor will not only frustrate you, it will diminish your passion for your work.

There is an amusing and inexpensive tool that I like to use when I am blocked.  It is a deck of cards called "The Creative Whack Pack" by Roger van Oeck.  Each card tells a little fable, and then presents a few questions designed to guide the user into looking at his/her obstacles from a different perspective.  As simple as it sounds, most of the time it works.  You may have to sift through the cards to find one that best aligns with your situation, but it gives plenty of food for thought.

If you have occasion to try it, let me know what you think!  And best of luck!!


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"Ask not, know not." --Me

I`m a big fan of looking at things backwards. (Maybe `cause I`m left-handed?) :-)

Whenever things seem stuck, I try to figure out what`s the "direction" of flow for the event going on. There`s usually (if not always) a direction. Then reverse it.

For example, you`re walking along near some woods and you see a sort of tunnel bower, where trees grow together over a pathway. Instead of seeing the trees growing somewhere, why not see the space of the tunnel "pushing" the trees out of the way?

Suppose you have a restaurant and sales are steady, not great, and you want to increase your sales. The "direction" is that You are looking at Them. Anoter direction is that They are Coming For the food.

If you reverse those directions, you try to look at They are looking at You. Instead of you seeing customers, try to be a customer seeing your restaurant. Then you can reverse things and say, The Food is Going to Them.

Instead of seeing food as just sitting there, with people looking to eat it, try seeing people just sitting there, with food trying to find them.

The idea is to find your basic assumptions, then simply reverse them. Turn them backwards and see what happens. If you can write out a basic assumption, in words, then you can also reverse the statement just by rearranging the words themselves.

Even the title of this topic can be reversed: "If I am the solution, What`s the problem?"