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The Muse Doesn’t Show Up Until You Do

The Muse Doesn’t Show Up Until You Do

 

Don’t wait for inspiration

One thing that used to keep me from practicing in my “feast or famine” days was waiting for inspiration.

If I wasn’t “in the right mood” to practice, I didn’t.
 

And I wasn’t often “in the mood”.

Don’t get me wrong. I was thinking about dance all the time:

  • Listening to music
  • Visualizing combos
  • Tapping out zil patterns on my thighs
  • Brainstorming costume ideas

And I showed up for class like clockwork.
 

But I wasn’t showing up to practice.

I had dance on the brain, but not on the body.
For some reason, I never felt like doing my personal practice.

Changing into my dance clothes, warming up, and getting to work felt like a chore. Choosing what to work on felt like pulling teeth.

I kept telling myself: “I’ll practice when the mood is right.”
 

And then I read something that changed that.

And strangely, I can’t remember the exact quote or who said it. But I think it was author Steven Pressfield, and I think the quote was:

“The muse doesn’t show up until you do.”

And it’s true. Even now, with a rock-solid practice habit, I just don’t feel like showing up on most days.

Just like before, when I have the time and opportunity to practice, it’s just not what I feel like doing.
 

But all that changes one I actually show up.

I’ve learned through experience that just showing up is the hardest part of practicing.

I almost never “feel like” putting in my practice time. But once I get going, I almost never feel like stopping either.

Once I show up, the muse makes an appearance. And then it feels less like a chore, and more like a party.
 

So invite the muse to join you.

Can you do just two minutes tomorrow?
If you show up, she will too.
 

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