It’s funny how things work sometimes. There I was, feeling so guilty about my lack of productivity that I blogged about it, and then I immediately found inspiration.

Actually, it found me.

I received an email notice that a blog I follow, Cuaderno Inedito, featured a new post. So late last night, when I was supposed to be writing an article (evidence of my procrastination), I navigated to the site and started to read. Somehow, Julie Schwietert Collazo had written directly to me–and I don’t even know her!

She posted How to be motivated and productive when you’re just not feeling it within hours of my own post about motivational struggles. Her practical advice and impeccable timing left me feeling refreshed and hopeful. I now have a game plan.

More importantly, I realized that perhaps I’ve been trying too hard. Instead of trying to go the distance on every play, it doesn’t hurt to back off and take baby steps. After all, baby steps still move me forward, while all-or-nothing often leaves me with, well, nothing.

I had espoused the Jack London approach: You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. Little did I know that when I put down the club, inspiration would drop into my inbox.