CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 0:31
Journaling as “writing that doesn’t count” to bypass creative pressure
Suleika Jaouad describes feeling blocked frequently and explains why journaling has been her lifelong tool for getting unstuck. Because it’s private and free from an audience, journaling creates space to be unedited and honest, reducing performance pressure.
- •She often feels creatively blocked
- •Journaling works because it’s low-stakes: “writing that doesn’t count”
- •Privacy removes the pressure of an audience
- •The journal becomes a place for an unvarnished, unedited self
- 0:31 – 1:01
Using resistance as a prompt: “I don’t want to write about…”
When she doesn’t know what to say, she starts by naming what she’s avoiding. Writing “I don’t want to write about…” becomes a doorway into the very topic she’s most curious about, revealing what matters beneath the block.
- •Start with the sentence: “I don’t want to write about…”
- •Follow the avoidance directly by writing into it
- •Resistance often signals the most meaningful subject
- •Curiosity emerges once the fear/avoidance is named
- 1:01 – 1:28
Refilling the creative well outside your discipline
Jaouad emphasizes seeking inspiration beyond the immediate craft to replenish creative energy. Music, poetry, open mic nights, and revisiting formative books can spark small ignition moments that lead to the next idea.
- •Inspiration often comes from outside your main discipline
- •Listening to music can reset and stimulate ideas
- •Reading poetry out loud and attending open mics creates creative cross-pollination
- •Re-reading childhood influences can reignite original motivations
- •Small sparks can catalyze the next project or breakthrough
