January 27

Do you remember when you first learned to ride a bike? I do. It was terrifying. I surrendered my health and well-being to a machine I was barely able to control. Death felt imminent at all times. Well, to a child, a scraped kneefeelslike death, right?

Over time, as I acquired a sense of balance and mastery over the bike, simply riding it wasn’t exciting enough anymore. I needed to up the stakes by riding downhill at speeds that would have made my parents cringe or building a ramp and jumping the bike over my sister’s Barbie dolls. (She never knew.) My perception of safety had normalized around my developing skills.

This same principle applies to your work. When you first practiced your craft, everything felt new and each project was a challenge. Now, as you are more mature, the work feels more familiar and less exciting. It doesn’t provide you with the same rush as it once did because you are confident in your skill set.

The best path forward? Try something new. Develop a new skill that feels a little uncomfortable. Stretch yourself to find new ways of expressing your ideas. How long has it been since you’ve learned a new skill or approached your work in a new way? If you feel a bit stagnant, today is a great day to shake things up.

The best way out of a creative rut is to learn a new skill.

What new skill might reinvigorate your work?