4 ms·

With the exception of a few details, I swear I could've authored this post. I feel the exact same. I'm starting to slowly realize that it's a vicious cycle for

With the exception of a few details, I swear I could've authored this post. I feel the exact same. I'm starting to slowly realize that it's a vicious cycle for me. When my family wants to go do things, I want to stay at home and "work on my projects". So I spend a lot of my free time in front of the computer, trying to think of a cool thing I could build. That turns into youtube binging or twitter stalking, realizing there are so many talented people out there, solving all kinds of interesting problems and building cool things. I see them talking about the mountains of ideas they have, but not time to get to them all. Meanwhile, I have zero ideas - none. The reason, I think, is because I live a small life. I'm so inside my box and my comfort zone, that I don't have new experiences, or discover new things. I don't run into new problems to solve, or socialize with people to discover problems they're trying to solve. So the ideas never come, but the way I consume life doesn't allow for it. But rather than break the cycle, and spend more time away from the computer and living my life - I just rinse & repeat. I'm not getting any younger, and so many are out there building things, in the open, at lightning speed. How can I get where they are if I don't park myself behind my keyboard? How can I make a name for myself? "Great, 4 hours before bed. What can I build tonight?" "Ugh, how is 2 am already? Time for bed I guess. I'll try to think of some more ideas tomorrow."

mrjangles 5y ago
I think this touches on the real answer. Ideas and inspiration are things you discover by getting out of your comfort zone and exploring. They aren't things you create.
spookyuser 5y ago
Definitely feel this, wow, even worse for me is when I work on something for someone else the whole time I am thinking: "I should be spending the little time I have working on my own stuff" then when I have free time to do that, exactly what you have written above happens lol.
WA 5y ago
> When my family wants to go do things, I want to stay at home and "work on my projects". Try to get into the habit of saying yes to all their activities for a while. You gotta treat time away from the computer as room you make in your head for new impulses. You will never find it on the internet. The internet rewires your brain into inaction. Especially since your body is inactive as well in front of the computer. Imagine all people doing cool projects to have a write-only interface for the internet. They do things in the real world and then type stuff into their computer for others to consume. They never find inspiration through browsing the internet. Maybe you won’t come up with cool projects or ideas, but if you move your body and do things, the desire for them fades in a positive kind of way, because you nurtured your prehistoric brain.
- WesleyJohnson 5y ago
  I do agree, it's hard to break the cycle. I've been a little better in the last couple of months, but I can work harder to allow myself to step away. I know I can't will myself into an epiphany, so why try?

mrjangles 5y ago

I think this touches on the real answer. Ideas and inspiration are things you discover by getting out of your comfort zone and exploring. They aren't things you create.

spookyuser 5y ago

Definitely feel this, wow, even worse for me is when I work on something for someone else the whole time I am thinking: "I should be spending the little time I have working on my own stuff" then when I have free time to do that, exactly what you have written above happens lol.

WA 5y ago

> When my family wants to go do things, I want to stay at home and "work on my projects". Try to get into the habit of saying yes to all their activities for a while. You gotta treat time away from the computer as room you make in your head for new impulses. You will never find it on the internet. The internet rewires your brain into inaction. Especially since your body is inactive as well in front of the computer. Imagine all people doing cool projects to have a write-only interface for the internet. They do things in the real world and then type stuff into their computer for others to consume. They never find inspiration through browsing the internet. Maybe you won’t come up with cool projects or ideas, but if you move your body and do things, the desire for them fades in a positive kind of way, because you nurtured your prehistoric brain.

WesleyJohnson 5y ago
I do agree, it's hard to break the cycle. I've been a little better in the last couple of months, but I can work harder to allow myself to step away. I know I can't will myself into an epiphany, so why try?