#27 Inspiration vs. obligation

Hey there,

Today, we’re diving into something that’s been eating at both of us lately: the difference between creating from inspiration versus obligation.

We’ve all been there. You sit down to write that newsletter or record that podcast episode, and instead of feeling excited, you’re thinking, “I have to get this done by Friday or I’ve failed.”

That shift from “I get to create this” to “I have to create this” changes everything about the work you produce.

Erica’s been going through this with her newsletter. After years of shipping every Sunday, she’s hit a wall because her business has evolved beyond just being “the content person.” She’s not inspired to break down content choices anymore — she’d rather talk about solving bigger business problems. And you know what? That’s completely okay.

The same thing happened to Nick with his 1000 Routes podcast. What started as genuine excitement about interviewing entrepreneurs became a chore of hunting for guests and slotting interviews into an already packed schedule.

But this conversation goes deeper than just creative burnout. We realized that creating from inspiration produces work that people actually want to consume. When you’re genuinely excited about what you’re making, that energy shows up in the final product. People can tell the difference between checkbox marketing and something you couldn’t wait to share.

Plus, creating from inspiration pushes you beyond easy thinking. It forces you to evolve your frameworks, develop new ideas, and stay ahead of anyone who might try to copy your work. As we like to say, copying locks you into someone else’s old thinking while they keep moving forward.

We also get into why having some form of creative practice matters for solos (spoiler: it creates optionality in your business), what to do when you’re stuck in obligation mode, and why Nick keeps trying to convince Erica to start journaling.

Cheers,
Nick and Erica

(00:00) Intro
(00:58) Parenting hack: effective communication with kids
(02:09) Main topic introduction: inspiration vs obligation
(03:25) Defining inspiration and obligation
(06:11) Personal struggles with obligation and identity
(08:50) Balancing creative projects with business growth
(14:31) The importance of creating from inspiration
(16:52) The role of creative projects in business
(20:12) Why inspiration fuels unique perspectives
(22:14) How creating content creates optionality
(24:18) Expansive thinking vs easy thinking
(27:16) Copying vs original creative frameworks
(28:41) Why content creation supports business evolution
(29:49) Journaling as a creative breakthrough tool

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