Day 920 - Hacker's block - https://golifelog.com/posts/hackers-block-1688860068917
Thinking through how I'm [stuck](https://golifelog.com/posts/stuck-1688696682065), I think the best way to describe it is by borrowing a similar concept in writing:
Writer's block.
> Writer’s block is a phenomenon experienced by writers that is best described as an overwhelming feeling of being stuck in the writing process without the ability to move forward and write anything new. – [Source: Masterclass](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-writers-block-how-to-overcome-writers-block-with-step-by-step-guide-and-writing-exercises)
It's the best thing I've found to describe how my 'stuckness' feels like.
IMHO, writer's block usually arises from:
- Fear/anxiety, of not being perfect, of opinions of others, of contraints/rules
- General lack of inspiration, a dry of creativity
- Apathy, fatigue, from working or writing too much
- Feeling disengaged from the writing because it doesn't interest/align
Perhaps from the recognition that this is some form 'hacker's' block comes possible solutions. There's well-known ways to overcome writer's block, so I could try out the same for my own creative block?
The same Masterclass article offered some solutions, so adapting it to my hacker's block:
- Take a break. I've been charging forward so the past few months on plugins. I'm in a do-do-do mode. Perhaps it's time to take a step back, top up my creative tank by seeking out inspiration.
- Do something thoroughly mundane. Apparently monotonous tasks like cleaning, showering, gardening, walking, are great for unblocking because the brain goes into autopilot and the creative part can daydream. Maybe I can try this together with taking a break. Just go for walks, swim in the sea, hang out with my kid, not worry about work.
- Jump ahead by making new products without worrying about whether it will bring in revenue or help me with my goals. Just create first, and maybe it will cascade into something else. Ready, shoot, aim.
- Do something else, act on an idea that I've always wanted to make but never had time for, revenue-generating be damned. It could be something fun, something pro bono, something for social good. Anything. Just like point #2, it can bring about tangential opportunities or discoveries.
- Create a deadline. Artificial time pressure can bring about a focus. I always felt that that's the true secret to the 12 startups in 12 months challenge. The focus within a small timebox is the real benefit, the forcing function we need to force ourselves to not over-analyze and just ship things.
- I always enjoyed freewriting. Just writing without pause in a stream-of-consciousness sort of way, not second-guessing myself or concerned about proper words and grammar is really freeing. What's the equivalent of freewriting for indie hacking? Just sitting down, and make the first thing that comes to mind. Don't care about anything else. Just do first, talk later.
*What else do you do to unblock yourself creatively?*
Writer's block.
> Writer’s block is a phenomenon experienced by writers that is best described as an overwhelming feeling of being stuck in the writing process without the ability to move forward and write anything new. – [Source: Masterclass](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-writers-block-how-to-overcome-writers-block-with-step-by-step-guide-and-writing-exercises)
It's the best thing I've found to describe how my 'stuckness' feels like.
IMHO, writer's block usually arises from:
- Fear/anxiety, of not being perfect, of opinions of others, of contraints/rules
- General lack of inspiration, a dry of creativity
- Apathy, fatigue, from working or writing too much
- Feeling disengaged from the writing because it doesn't interest/align
Perhaps from the recognition that this is some form 'hacker's' block comes possible solutions. There's well-known ways to overcome writer's block, so I could try out the same for my own creative block?
The same Masterclass article offered some solutions, so adapting it to my hacker's block:
- Take a break. I've been charging forward so the past few months on plugins. I'm in a do-do-do mode. Perhaps it's time to take a step back, top up my creative tank by seeking out inspiration.
- Do something thoroughly mundane. Apparently monotonous tasks like cleaning, showering, gardening, walking, are great for unblocking because the brain goes into autopilot and the creative part can daydream. Maybe I can try this together with taking a break. Just go for walks, swim in the sea, hang out with my kid, not worry about work.
- Jump ahead by making new products without worrying about whether it will bring in revenue or help me with my goals. Just create first, and maybe it will cascade into something else. Ready, shoot, aim.
- Do something else, act on an idea that I've always wanted to make but never had time for, revenue-generating be damned. It could be something fun, something pro bono, something for social good. Anything. Just like point #2, it can bring about tangential opportunities or discoveries.
- Create a deadline. Artificial time pressure can bring about a focus. I always felt that that's the true secret to the 12 startups in 12 months challenge. The focus within a small timebox is the real benefit, the forcing function we need to force ourselves to not over-analyze and just ship things.
- I always enjoyed freewriting. Just writing without pause in a stream-of-consciousness sort of way, not second-guessing myself or concerned about proper words and grammar is really freeing. What's the equivalent of freewriting for indie hacking? Just sitting down, and make the first thing that comes to mind. Don't care about anything else. Just do first, talk later.
*What else do you do to unblock yourself creatively?*