Find the format that works for you

You know the feeling, right? Staring at the blinking cursor on the blank word document? Or fiddling around with a few video clips in an editing software, not getting anywhere because nothing looks cool? 

Feeling stuck is the worst. 

But you also know another feeling, though. You know how it feels to be struck by a lightning bolt of inspiration. You know how it feels to create in a flurry, producing something awesome inside a short burst of focus. 

These flow state moments are the best. But what if these flow state moments are less about inspirational lightning strikes, and more about finding a format that works for you? 

About six weeks ago, I wrote about how video is becoming the new email. Not in the sense that we’ll use it for everyday communication, but in the sense that video illiteracy could kill your career. You can read more here, but the important thing to know is this: you need to learn to make short-form video as a freelancer or entrepreneur. 

If you follow me on Instagram, then you’ve seen that I’ve been killing the Reels game recently. (Not so much by the numbers yet, but by the consistency and content!) I’ve found the format that works for me. Previously, I only published Reels when I had inspiration, and then I spent hours making them, and got caught in a whirlpool of distraction for hours after that. 

My new format is this: I keep Instagram off my phone. When I have an idea for a video within my format, I favorite all the clips and photos I need for that video in my camera roll. Then, I download the app, and immediately launch the in-app video builder. I arrange all the clips in a logical storyline, choose a song, then add a one-take voice-over. And guess what? It’s been working for me. I can create a solid video in about 35 minutes whenever I want to. The lift isn’t too heavy. It doesn’t take too much time. And after I publish, I delete the app, and I’m back to work. 

The same is true for this blog. It took me a while to find the best format, but now I can whip up a concise, helpful 400-word post in about 40 minutes. This format has led me to publish more than 650 blogs in the last four years. Was I always struck by an electric idea? No. But the format gave me the ability to post even when the power went out. 

So test. Tinker. Fiddle around until you find the format that works for you. It’s essential for your business.