Redefining 100%: How to Overcome Writer’s Block and Build Momentum

Is “writer’s block” a real thing? As an author, I ask myself that question a lot. Some days, I sit down to write, and it feels like there are no thoughts, no ideas, no stories worth telling. Or are there?

When we think about writer’s block, we imagine the cognitive inability to create. But this phenomenon isn’t limited to writing. No matter your career, you’ve likely experienced some variation of it.

Maybe you’re a salesperson in a slump, wondering why your pitch isn’t landing. Maybe, as a teacher, you’re struggling because it seems like your students can’t grasp your lessons, leaving you at your wit’s end. Perhaps, as a leader, you’ve run out of words to inspire your team or strategies to improve performance.

We all face our own version of writer’s block.

I recently finished writing my new book, set to come out early next year, and turned my attention to my next project. In the final stages of rewrites and edits for the last book, I was on fire—ideas flowed, and I couldn’t type fast enough. But as I sat down to begin the next one, guess what? Writer’s block.

Or was it?

The more I thought about it, I realized that it wasn’t writer’s block at all—not in the way we usually define it. That sales slump, that teaching or leadership purgatory—it’s not because we don’t have good ideas. The paralysis doesn’t come from a lack of creativity; it comes from something else: we care.

The more I stared at the blank page, the clearer it became. It’s not that I don’t have concepts to write about. My inability to start came from how much I care. I care deeply about the words, how they come across, and whether they inspire action. I care so much that when I don’t feel like I have a great story, my brain defaults to “writer’s block.”

But what if we looked at that perceived block for what it truly is—caring?

We care enough to want to do a good job, so we freeze when we feel we aren’t. When we feel like we can’t give “100%,” we default to not starting at all. But here’s the shift we need to make to get back on track: we need to redefine what “100%” means.

Redefining 100%

We often judge “100%” by the standard of working at peak capacity, on our best days. But here’s the reality—every day isn’t our best day. We’re not robots. We have feelings, emotions, stresses, and life’s inevitable interruptions.

To combat “writer’s block,” or any block caused by wanting to give your best, ask yourself: Can I give 100% of what I have available today?

If you’re operating at 20% of your usual capacity, can you give all of that 20%? For me, maybe I can’t write an entire chapter on a bad day. Maybe my “100%” that day is getting a single thought or paragraph onto the page.

The Power of Momentum

When you take action, no matter how small, you create momentum. And momentum is one of the most powerful tools for lasting results.

If you’re moving on your worst days, imagine the progress you’ll make on your best.

So, keep moving.