When then there’s too much going on to do your creative work then merely create something. I picked up this term ‘merely’ concept from Seth Godin in this interview with Tim Ferris.

Sometimes not doing something takes up more effort than quickly doing it. As Godin explains, there’s a voice that says what we might produce might not be good enough. We spend time and direct our attention towards worrying about not being able to do something good.

On Monday I shared my formal for creative surplus: time x attention. Time and attention directed towards worry burns your creative surplus. Who says the work isn’t good enough? No one because you haven’t done it yet. It certainly won’t be good enough if you don’t do any!

When time and attention are short, merely create a piece of work. Consistency of practice is far more important than the quality of individual pieces of work. Practice establishes the habits from which good work can emerge.

Today I merely showed up to write a post I really didn’t think I had time to write. Now it is written. And I think it turned out pretty well!