Confession time:
I’m not a terribly original writer. I usually take the time to blog about what I feel, and, through a series of edits and what can only be described as “soul-searching revisions,” a blog comes out. And usually, the end product is marginal at best. Sometimes it borrows from other creators.
No, not sometimes. MOST of the time.
A lot of the time, I write aimlessly. Without purpose. And then, over time, that purpose becomes known through a long word count, wasted hours, heartache, and revulsion.
Many of you can relate. Be it podcasting, video creating, preaching, teaching, or just general adulting, a lot of creation really just revolves around trial and error. Letting your typing or speaking find the reason that you are creating.
But what if I told you that there’s an easier way?
Ready? Lean in close. It’s the simplest thing in the world:
Find the WHY.
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Why are you creating?
Why are your hands doing the talking in your keyboard? Why are you looking down the lens of a camera and talking? Why do you feel that URGE inside of you to keep on being creative?
Because of your WHY.
But what is it for you? What is the reason you keep on doing what you’re doing? Money? Fame? Popularity and social status? The Lord’s calling?
Back in 2017, Simon Sinek wrote the seminal book Find Your Why, a follow-up to his first (and arguably better) book Start With Why. It was a sensation, and it really helped to crystallize something that I didn’t realize when I had first started writing, recording, and producing.
I wrote, recorded, and produced 2 full-length albums with a MacBook Pro, Logic, Ableton Live, 2 guitars, a piano, a MIDI controller, and a microphone about 12 years ago. Ostensibly, I was creating worship albums.
They were awful. Hands down.
And the reason? I hadn’t figured out WHY I was creating music. I was simply writing and recording because it felt like I needed to keep up with the people around me who were doing the same thing.
I was ripping off every melody and hook. I was finding my “inspiration” in taking lines whole-cloth from Scripture, without really making them mean anything.
I never took a step back and actually found my WHY as to what I was doing.
Because everything comes back to the WHY.
Without the WHY, your creations become lifeless at best.
And fiery flaming wreckage at worst.
Without the WHY, the passion is nonexistent.
We are living in a Content Golden Age right now. No longer do we have to rely on the same 4 networks to give us news, entertainment, sports, and weather. Now, we have an almost inexhaustible supply of streams, videos, music, pictures, and more.
But the WHY behind most of them is that they simply wanted something to post online.
Is that you? Do you simply want something to post?
Or are you creating for a purpose?
What is your WHY?
But how can YOU find your why?
Over my next series of blogs and my new podcast, Breaking The Fifth Wall, we’ll take a look at the WHY process.
Because my passion and my joy is to help you find what you’re doing.
If you’re passionate about opening up packs of Pokemon cards, and want the world to join you in that…then do it!
If you’re honestly wanting to talk in-depth about retro technology…then do it!
If you, as a pastor, leader, or mentor, want to create to help further the knowledge of Jesus Christ in a world that so desperately needs it, then I’m here to help you.
Let’s take this journey together. Because I’m still finding out my WHY, each and every day. And as travelers on this road, we can help each other out.
Love you, talk soon.
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