I have a daily goal, although I take Sunday’s off. I wake at 5:30am, go to the gym and run 5K. I then continue to walk on the treadmill until I’ve reached my daily exercise goal of 40 minutes. Some days I hit 5K and wonder how it felt so easy, other days I’m 100m into the run and I feel like giving up, some bad days I can hardly get out of bed. However, whatever I feel like, I complete the 5K. It’s not as easy as perhaps it sounds, even on a good day. You might be reading this and thinking, why the hell does anyone want to do this? I’ll tell you at the end of the article.

I was thinking about this the other day, why some days feel easier than others. It might be the amount of sleep I’ve had, what I ate before, how much water I’ve consumed. Whatever it is, if I relied on how I feel, I’d give up most of the runs. I’d be trusting the old maxim; if it feels good, do it!

Inspiration is often heralded as the critical fuel of artists—a divine spark that magically transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. However, in the demanding world of professional music production, this romanticised notion of inspiration is not just impractical; it's a potential career pitfall. For professional musicians, composers, and producers, the reality is far more grounded: success is less about waiting for inspiration and more about a disciplined work ethic, creativity on demand, and the ability to deliver quality consistently within tight deadlines.

The Myth of Constant Inspiration

The idea that great music comes solely from flashes of inspiration is a pervasive myth. It overlooks the countless hours of practice, experimentation, and the disciplined routine behind the scenes. Icons like The Beatles, David Bowie, or Max Martin didn't just wait for inspiration—they worked tirelessly, exploring, failing, and learning in a cycle of creative output. There are stories of hit songs being written in minutes, for example Single Ladies, Your Song, and Umbrella, were all written in less than 30 minutes, but those are the outliers, not the norm.

The ‘inspiration’ myth can lead to a dangerous trap for musicians: the waiting game, where nothing gets done until the muse visits, risking missed deadlines and inconsistent work quality.

Just recently I kept putting off a creative project for a client because I didn’t feel inspired. I told my wife on our dog walk about it, and that on that day I was going to do it. She asked me what inspired me; “I get fired if I don’t!” Was my reply, she laughed, but that was the truth.

Separating the Professional from the Amateur

What distinguishes a professional musician from an amateur is not the frequency of their inspiration but their ability to produce high-quality work consistently, irrespective of how we feel.

Composers working on a movie, or a TV show, or other creatives working in the field have to deliver great work, on time and on budget. The idea they can say to the Director of the movie or the Producer of the TV show; “sorry I just wasn’t feeling it” isn’t going to work, in fact it’s the quickest way to make sure you don’t have a career.

Professionals understand that music production is as much about discipline as it is about talent. They know that deadlines don't wait for inspiration. This professionalism involves developing strategies to stimulate creativity, maintain productivity, and ensure that the final product meets the client's brief, whether or not the muse is on their side.

Strategies to Overcome the Reliance on Inspiration

So, how do professionals keep producing outstanding work without relying solely on inspiration? Here are several strategies:

• Establishing a Routine: Setting a regular work schedule conditions the mind for creativity, making it easier to enter a creative state when needed. Whether it's composing, mixing, or simply brainstorming, a routine fosters discipline and productivity. I’ve started pencilling uninterruptible time into my daily schedule that nothing can interfere with. All alerts are off, phone is off and I’m head down until I’m done.

• Work in short blasts: One concept that some find helpful, especially with tasks that feel like hard work is to work in short blasts. Set a timer for 30 minutes then work on the task for that time. When the 30 minutes are up you can take a break, then repeat the process. For some, this is a technique that works well. It’s based on The Pomodoro Technique, you can read more about it here and take a quiz to see if it would suit your working style.

• Creating a Conducive Environment: Tailoring your workspace to minimise distractions and enhance creativity can significantly impact your ability to focus and produce. This might include organising your studio, curating a playlist of music that inspires you, or even setting the right lighting. Use the Do Not Disturb options on your devices so you don’t get distracted during the creative process.

• Continuous Learning and Experimentation: Dedicating time to learn new techniques, explore different genres, and experiment with new sounds can fuel creativity and provide a well of ideas to draw from when inspiration seems scarce. Sometimes we can’t give anything because we have nothing left to give, it may be time to fill up the well.

• Collaboration: Working with others can spark new ideas, offer fresh perspectives, and keep the creative juices flowing. Collaboration is not just about working with other musicians; it can also mean seeking feedback from peers or engaging in creative communities.

• Setting Personal Deadlines: Even in the absence of client-imposed deadlines, setting your own goals and timelines can help simulate the pressure that often ignites creative thinking and productivity. Some say that a mix is never finished - I can only imagine these people have never had a client.

The Role of Persistence and Adaptation

Behind many of history's greatest musical achievements are stories of perseverance, trial and error, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. Take Brian Eno's concept of 'Oblique Strategies'—a method designed to push creative boundaries and solve musical problems not through divine inspiration but through deliberate, strategic challenges. It's this persistence in the face of frustration, the willingness to adapt and evolve, that marks the true professional.

1% Inspiration 99% Perspiration

Inspiration is neither a reliable nor sustainable strategy for professional music production. The professionals in our field understand that the key to success lies in the ability to consistently deliver quality work, on time, every time. They leverage discipline, routine, continuous learning, and collaboration to keep their creative wells overflowing.

And why do I run 5K daily? Simple. I’m nearly 60 and have a young daughter. The media wants me to think that I’ll be killed in a plane crash or a war. I’m far more likely (statistically) to die of a heart attack, but those don’t sell newspapers so you won’t see them on the front page. I want to see my daughter grow up and live her dreams, that’s far less likely if I don’t take care of myself. The same can be said of my wealth, if I work hard now, even when I don’t feel like it, I’m more likely to benefit the rewards later in life. The song writing royalty statement I got last week tells me that’s the case too.

Remember that your greatest creative assets are your work ethic, your dedication to your craft, and your ability to produce, regardless of whether inspiration decides to show up.

There’s a reason that Viking ships had both sails and oars, whenever there was wind then they could take advantage of it, but sometimes they had to put in the hard work to complete the journey. Often those fleeting moments of inspiration arise because we've been working all along.