• LAUNCH YOUR DREAM
  • BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
  • STARTING OVER MIDLIFE
  • HAPPINESS THROUGH ACTIVISM
  • TRAVEL THE WORLD
  • GET HEALTHY & FIT
  • BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
  • BRAVE LIVING
  • WRITE WITH US

8WomenDream

Dream Big Stories

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • CONNECT
You Are Here Home » LAUNCH YOUR DREAM » How to Stop Procrastinating on a Big Dream for Good

in LAUNCH YOUR DREAM

How to Stop Procrastinating on a Big Dream for Good

Last updated on July 16th, 2022 at 12:41 am

Procrastinating on Our Dreams My new Blue Garden BenchEvery blogger has had their share of writer’s block, and every dreamer can attest to letting months drift by without taking action on their dream.

People often think these are examples of creative procrastination at its finest, but I think it’s really just another form of writer’s block, or creative block, or even motivation block. I

t’s that moment you sit down and tell yourself you are going to work on your [insert dream here] and you can’t get started.

You simply aren’t coming up with your “creative spark” or compelling drive to do what you think you should be completing.

You may think this is happening because you don’t feel “in the mood.” It’s like that feeling you sometimes get right before you start something that will be good for you, let’s say, like going for a walk.

You think about finding walking shoes and suddenly your brain begins whispering all the reasons why you don’t want to go. It may take everything you have to convince yourself to put on your walking shoes, let alone, go outside and walk for 10 minutes, let alone, for 30 minutes.

But a funny thing happens once you begin walking: you get into it. The next thing you know you’ve done your 30 minutes and you feel great.

So what in the hell was that?

It’s sort of a motivational block.

I don’t like the word motivation when talking about what it is that blocks your creative juices and stops cold your happy urge to do the thing that will satisfy your heart for having accomplished it.

I was thinking about writer’s block all weekend while I was trying to figure out what I was going to write for you on dreaming, or blogging. As some of you know, my Aunt died mid-week, kicking most of my creative dream inspiration to the curb while I cried and tried to accomplish work.

It was difficult for me to focus on my blogs. Each time I sat down at my desk it felt like a big blank screen was staring back at me while I felt nothing. “Go away!” the computer whispered, and so I did. Sometimes solutions to problems come to you in spite of yourself. It’s also been a very rainy, stormy week with too much time spent indoors, so by the time some sun appeared through the clouds today I went out and continued to work on a garden project I’ve slowly put together.

I’ve been repainting my garden swing that blue color you see in all the garden magazines. I was motivated to finally start this bench-painting project after seeing some great garden images on Pinterest.

Pinterest blue garden inspiration

I love painting and working in my garden. It feeds my soul, so whenever life is kicking me around a bit, I pull out my garden gloves and go outside and push around some dirt.

Today was one of those days that I needed to paint and push dirt.

Every now and then I’d think, “What in the heck am I going to say about blogging or dreaming this week? I don’t think I should go down the road of ‘my Aunt just died, proving life is too short so go get on with your dreaming people’ blog post.”

So I’d continue to paint my blue bench and let it go.

By the time dinner was over and I finally sat down to write my post I was back at the place of writer’s block, but instead of getting too worked up about it, I took a couple of deep breaths and thought about all the ways a writer can overcome writer’s block, and how you creatives’ can overcome creative blocks,  and you dreamers can overcome dreamers block.

Then it hit me.

The reason I started working on my garden again was that I’d seen those beautiful garden images on Pinterest and after a while, they stirred my motivation to actually go buy the paint to transform my garden.

When I lack the will to write, I’ll pick up a little book called Fruitflesh: Seeds of Inspiration for Women Who Write by Gayle Brandeis. This book takes me out of my practical mind into a place where suddenly I MUST go write about oranges.

What the book and Pinterest have in common is that they are catalysts for motivation–a way for me to feel that urge to get up and go do what I am being called to do. Listening to the 1980’s dance music ALWAYS makes me dance in my chair to the point where I simply must get up and dance around the room to a song. Classical music makes me meditate. Rock music motivates me to clean my bathroom.

My son is as bad as I am in the mornings, so knowing this, I am motivated to get up extra early each day, start the coffee and help him get his day going. I love being wide awake when he stumbles out of his bedroom with his hair resembling a punk rock look on one side. It makes me smile every single day.

My friend Elisabet and her daughter Kelcie insist that my son and I join them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at least once a week—-out in public–which forces me to get dressed up and go socialize, which is really good for me. Last night I actually said hello to several men.

Of course, my son and Kelcie didn’t like that part of my “feeling creative.”

What I am trying to say here is that you have to find out what motivates you to be creative, to write, to pick up that camera, to make that phone call -— to work on your dream. I think if there are areas in your life that you aren’t working on it’s because you haven’t figured out what would make you want to do it. Just think of it as a case of [insert what you can’t seem to make yourself do] block and then try to think of creative ways to get yourself going.

Need to apply for a new job?

Take some creative risks. If you are artistic, create a brand logo of your initials and create your resume around that. My ex-husband got a winery sales job because he put an image of a glass pouring wine out and it looked like it was being poured onto his resume. The fun of creating it took away the pain of having to touch up his resume. He liked it so much when he was done that he was naturally motivated to test it on some wineries, and it worked.

Need to take photographs?

Does staring at another photographer’s photographs in your niche motivate you? No? What about sitting and cleaning your camera while you watch your favorite TV show? Or what if you just take it outside with you in the evening while you sit with a glass of wine and look at the sky? You might become motivated to pick it up and start taking pictures of something that catches your eye.

You have to find what it is you love to do, then apply that love logic to the things you want to accomplish.

Sometimes the motivation resembles the first 10 minutes of the walk you needed to take, you don’t think it’s going to work, then suddenly the juices start flowing, and before you know it you’re done.

This week spend some time looking at how you might combine something you love (like me with the 1980s dance music) with something you keep putting off (like dancing to 80’s music for 30 minutes a day for more exercise) and see if you can’t combine them to motivate you into creating the dream you are yearning for.

Make a list of all the things that you love.

Put the list up near your desk, or where you contemplate your dream, and the next time you need the motivation to end a particular “block” look at your list. See if there is anything you love that you can combine with what you need to get done and use the combination to complete the next step in your dream.

 

Related Stories:

  • Stop Procrastinating: Set Deadlines and Suffer the Consequences
    Stop Procrastinating: Set Deadlines and Suffer the…
  • storytelling rules
    The Secret To A Good Speech Is Good Storytelling
  • Dream Vacation for Top Photographer Dreamer Remy Gervais
    If You Want to Find Your Big Dream -- Stop Looking
  • Albert Einstein quote on cooperation
    Is a Little Greed a Good for Your Big Dream?
Chughes
Catherine Hughes

Catherine Hughes is an accomplished magazine columnist, content creator, and published writer with a background as an award-winning mom blogger. She partners with companies to create captivating web content and social media stories and writes compelling human interest pieces for both small and large print publications. Her writing, which celebrates the resilience and achievements of Northern California’s residents, is featured in several magazines. Beyond her professional life, Catherine is passionate about motherhood, her son, close friendships, rugby, and her love for animals.

Note: Articles by Catherine may contain affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link.

Filed Under: LAUNCH YOUR DREAM

Some of the posts on 8WD contain affiliate links or links to purchase products or programs from 8WD contributors. This means 8WD or the contributor may make a small commission if you make a purchase. The 8WD affiliate links help offset the cost of hosting this website and the contributor links help support the dreams of the contributor. Please check out the 8WD Legal Page for more details.

Thank you for your continued support!

« Saint Patrick’s Day Giving is a Delicious Part of Living an American Dream
Travel Dream to Visit the Sonoma County Wine Country »

Check it out

  • LAUNCH YOUR DREAM
  • BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
  • STARTING OVER MIDLIFE
  • HAPPINESS THROUGH ACTIVISM
  • TRAVEL THE WORLD
  • GET HEALTHY & FIT
  • BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
  • BRAVE LIVING
  • WRITE WITH US


The 8WomenDream Dream Tote Bag

About the 8WomenDream Tote Bag
US – 10oz Cotton
Dimensions (External Dimensions)
• Height – 18″ (45.72cm or 457.2mm)
• Width – 15″ (38.1cm or 381mm)
Handle Dimensions (Internal Dimensions)
• Length – 29″ (73.7cm or 736.6mm)

Recent Dream Stories

  • 8 Solstice Traditions for Focusing on Your Big Dream this Year
  • Winter Solstice: What Will You Do With 1 Minute More?
  • Why Halloween Costumes Can Help Discover Your Big Dream
  • How the Equinox Can be a Catalyst for Change
  • 5 Strategies to Live Your Wildest Dreams
  • Starting Over as a Single Mom Wasn’t My Big Dream
  • Warning: Big Dream to Be a Motivational Speaker Won’t Always Obey Your Plans
  • Dance to Relieve Stress to Focus on Your Big Dream

Inspiration

More About 8WD

WE BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS THE POWER TO ACHIEVE BIG DREAMS.
 
IT IS OUR SINCEREST WISH THROUGH THE SHARING OF PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO TRY TO ACHIEVE A BIG DREAM THAT WE WILL INSPIRE YOU GO AFTER A BIG DREAM TOO.
 
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT 8WOMENDREAM, HERE.

8 WOMEN DREAM | COPYRIGHT All RIGHTS RESERVED © 2025 · LEGAL

Welcome to 8WomenDream Where Big Dreams Are Shared
The 8WomenDream website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're OK with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. ACCEPT REJECT READ MORE
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT