Pixelgawker

In recent months, my contribution of new material to Pixelgawker has slowly dwindled. “WRITE FOR BLOG” – over the course of last semester, these three words, though often written big and bold, then circled and highlighted, moved further and further down my “to-do” list, eventually landing somewhere between “change oil in car” and “vacuum apartment.” Other tasks and other classes always took precedence over the blog, even when I tried to intentionally pencil the time into my schedule. This absence of my voice from the blog, was not a sign that I lost my desire to write, nor did it indicate that I had run out of ideas. In fact, I had many ideas floating around my head, many of which I thought would serve as a nice foundation to a useful and engaging discourse. But no matter how many times I told myself to write for the blog, I just couldn’t seem to find the time or energy to compose some words into a thoughtful and meaningful essay. So I didn’t.

But now, the semester is over! The student show will soon be coming down, students are finalizing summer plans, and we’ve all caught up on that long awaited, and much needed, rest. It should be easy now, one might suppose, to complete the many tasks that simply just weren’t urgent enough to be done during the semester. I should be able to sit down comfortably at my computer and write this silly essay that I’ve been postponing for months now….but for some reason, I have less motivation now, this third week into summer, then ever before. My ideas are all here, precisely organized into a series of lists, and I’ve even developed some ideas into seemingly cohesive outlines, detailing the many points I’d like to address. But yet and still, no paragraphs, no rough drafts, and no post on Pixelgawker. I just can’t seem to retain enough focus, nor find the right time to write the thing.

So as I sit here this morning, drawing up yet another list of everything that I must get done today, (”email boss,” “schedule dinner with brother,” “venture to Apple store,” “archive last semester’s work,” “etc,etc, etc”) it has occurred to me that there may never be a “right” time. I may never get the chance to lull around inside all day, dreaming up the perfect topic to inaugurate a masterful essay, and frankly, I don’t think I really want to.  But throughout all of this personal stalling, my trepidation to write something in a rush, and this need to just plain WRITE SOMETHING, there comes forth an interesting thing for us all to consider over these next few summer months, and on into the upcoming semesters: That is, there is a profound difference between imagination and motivation. Think about this for second. We are all creative individuals, who have this wonderful ability, (and desire) to dream up wildly innovative ideas. But an idea is nothing more then a hopeful thought until someone musters up enough focus, or possesses enough motivation, to test it, try it, break it, challenge it, explore it, and develop it to its fullest. So whether your ideas arbitrarily fill sketchbooks, or exist well-ordered and in meticulous lists, these contents of your imagination will remain as such until met with a sufficient dose of motivation to bring them life. I may very well have a list of topics I’d like to write about, but until I find the time and discipline to sit down at my desk and compose something, I’ve actually accomplished nothing. Zero. Zilch. 

I suppose, if there is a point buried within this commentary on my own procrastination, it is this: Balance imagination with motivation. Understand that personal initiative is just as important to the enhancement of an idea as the idea itself, and realize that the best designers are not just great thinkers, but also possess enough ambition to develop their thoughts into something more. As for me, I’ll be working avidly this summer, to keep my motivation high and posts on Pixelgawker higher. But for now, at least for this week, I can finally cross “WRITE FOR BLOG” of my list.

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