How to Get in the Right Mindset Before Creating Content (and Why It Matters)
Have you ever sat down to create content and felt completely stuck? Maybe your brain is foggy, your motivation is low, or you’re second-guessing every idea that comes to mind. The truth is, creativity isn’t just about having great ideas—it’s about showing up in the right mindset to bring those ideas to life. When you force yourself to create from a place of stress or overwhelm, it shows in your content. But when you create from a space of clarity and excitement, everything flows easier.
In episode 111 of Content Systems for Growth, I had an incredible conversation with Ang Barnard, host of The Intentional Mind Podcast, about how to get in the right mindset before creating content. Ang is a communication consultant and career coach who helps people boost creativity, increase focus, and stay motivated when they show up to create. In this post, I’m sharing key takeaways from our conversation, including why your mindset affects content creation, how to break through creative blocks, and simple shifts to stay productive and aligned when making content.
Why Your Mindset Matters When Creating Content
One of entrepreneurs' biggest mistakes when creating content is thinking that success comes from strategy alone. While strategy is important, your mindset and focus play an even bigger role in how your content is received. In my conversation with Ang Barnard, she explained how your energy, mindset, and overall clarity directly impact how your audience connects with your message.
Think about it—have you ever watched a video or listened to a podcast where the creator’s energy felt low or forced? It’s hard to stay engaged, right? Now compare that to content where the speaker is fully present, confident, and speaking from the heart. That energy is contagious. When you create from a place of alignment and excitement, people can feel it—and they respond to it.
But what happens when you’re just not feeling it? Low motivation, overthinking, or feeling distracted can keep you from creating the kind of content that truly connects. The good news is that you don’t have to stay stuck. In the next section, we’ll dive into the most common signs that your mindset is holding you back—so you can recognize them and shift before you start creating.
Signs Your Mindset is Holding You Back from Creating Content
Before you can shift into a more focused and creative state, you need to recognize when your mindset is working against you. In my conversation with Ang, we talked about how content creation shouldn’t feel like you’re forcing it—it should flow naturally. But when you’re stuck in a low-energy state, creating can feel overwhelming, frustrating, or just plain exhausting.
Here are some clear signs that your mindset is keeping you from creating content that truly connects:
- You’re overthinking everything. Instead of trusting yourself and creating from a place of excitement, you’re second-guessing every word, worrying about whether it’s “good enough,” or trying to make it perfect.
- You feel like you’re forcing it. If sitting down to write or record feels like a chore, chances are, your mindset isn’t in the right place. Great content comes from alignment, not pressure.
- You’re comparing yourself to others. Scrolling social media and seeing other creators doing “better” can leave you feeling discouraged or like you’re falling behind.
- You’re focused on the outcome instead of the process. If you’re constantly thinking, Will people like this? or Will this go viral? instead of enjoying the creative process, your energy is in the wrong place.
- You feel mentally drained before you even start. If content creation feels exhausting before you begin, it’s a sign you need a quick mindset shift before diving in.
The good news? You don’t have to stay in this space. In the next section, we’ll cover simple ways to reset your focus, boost creativity, and shift into the right mindset before you start creating.
How to Shift Your Mindset Before Creating Content
Now that you know the signs of being stuck in a low-energy state, let’s talk about how to reset and get into a creative flow before you start creating. One of the biggest takeaways from my conversation with Ang was that small shifts can make a massive difference in your focus, motivation, and creativity.
If you’ve ever tried to push through content creation when you’re not feeling it, you know how frustrating it can be. Instead of forcing it, try one of these quick mindset shifts before you sit down to write, record, or show up for your audience:
1. Move Your Body
Your physical state directly impacts your mental clarity. If you feel stuck, get up and move! Take a quick walk, stretch, jump on a mini trampoline (one of Ang’s favorite tips!), or do a few power poses. Just two minutes of movement can increase your focus and shift your energy before you create.
2. Change Your Environment
Sometimes, the space you’re in is what’s draining your focus. Try switching locations—move to a different room, step outside, or adjust the lighting in your space. Even small changes, like lighting a candle or playing upbeat music, can help signal to your brain that it’s time to shift into a creative mode.
3. Take a Deep Breath (or Several!)
Feeling overwhelmed? Pause and take a few deep breaths. Try box breathing (inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four) to calm your nervous system and reset your focus. When you slow down, your creativity can flow more freely.
4. Reframe Your Thoughts
If you’re caught up in perfectionism or fear of judgment, remind yourself why you’re creating in the first place. Instead of thinking, What if no one likes this?, shift your focus to, Who needs to hear this today? When you create from a place of service instead of stress, everything flows more easily.
5. Make It Fun
Creativity thrives when you’re enjoying the process. Instead of treating content creation like a chore, find ways to make it feel fun again. Record a voice memo instead of typing, create a challenge for yourself, or gamify the process—whatever helps you feel more inspired and less pressured.
By making small adjustments to your mindset, movement, and environment, you can step into content creation feeling motivated, focused, and ready to create something that truly resonates.
In the next section, we’ll talk about some of the biggest mindset traps that keep entrepreneurs stuck—and how to avoid them.
Common Mindset Traps That Keep You Stuck (And How to Avoid Them)
Even when you’re intentional about shifting your mindset, there are still some common thought patterns that can sneak in and drain your creativity. In my conversation with Ang, we talked about how fear, overthinking, and comparison can keep you from showing up fully in your content. The good news? Once you recognize these mindset traps, you can shift away from them before they hold you back.
Here are some of the biggest ones to watch for:
1. The “I’m Not Ready” Trap
Have you ever told yourself that you’ll start creating content when you have more time, more confidence, or more expertise? This mindset keeps you stuck in a cycle of waiting instead of taking action. Truth bomb: You’ll never feel 100% ready, but you don’t need to be. The best way to gain confidence is to start.
How to break it: Ask yourself, What small step can I take today? Instead of waiting for perfect conditions, take imperfect action—your content (and audience) will grow as you do.
2. The Perfectionism Trap
Perfectionism disguises itself as a high standard, but really, it’s fear in disguise. If you find yourself spending way too long tweaking every word, re-recording the same video, or holding back because something “isn’t quite right,” you’re likely stuck in perfectionism.
How to break it: Shift your focus from perfect to valuable. Ask yourself, Does this help my audience? If the answer is yes, then it’s good enough to share.
3. The Comparison Trap
It’s easy to look at what other content creators are doing and feel like you’re falling behind. Maybe someone else’s posts are performing better, or their videos seem more polished. But comparison kills creativity. The more you focus on someone else’s journey, the less energy you have for your own.
How to break it: Limit social media scrolling before creating content. Instead of asking, How do I measure up?, ask, How can I share something that feels true to me? Your audience follows you for your unique perspective—lean into that.
4. The “I Have Nothing New to Say” Trap
Ever feel like everything you want to share has already been said? This mindset keeps a lot of entrepreneurs silent. But here’s the truth: your voice, your perspective, and your experiences are unique. Even if the topic isn’t new, the way you explain it will resonate with someone differently.
How to break it: Instead of trying to be completely original, focus on being authentic and relatable. What experiences have shaped your views? What stories can you share that will help someone else?
5. The “Content Creation Should Feel Easy” Trap
Yes, we talk a lot about flow and alignment, but that doesn’t mean content creation won’t ever feel hard. Some days, creativity takes effort, and that’s okay. The key is not to mistake resistance for a reason to stop.
How to break it: When you hit a creative block, don’t assume it means you’re doing something wrong. Take a break, shift your environment, or try a different medium (speak your thoughts into a voice memo instead of writing, for example).
By recognizing these mindset traps, you can shift away from self-doubt and into confident action. The more you create, the easier it gets—and the more your audience connects with what you share.
In the final section, we’ll wrap up with the key takeaways and a simple strategy to help you stay aligned before every content session.
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Final Thoughts: Aligning Your Mindset Before Every Content Session
If there’s one thing I hope you take away from this conversation with Ang, it’s that your mindset directly impacts how your content is received. When you show up drained, distracted, or second-guessing yourself, it’s hard to create content that truly connects. But when you take a few moments to shift into alignment, everything flows more naturally.
Here’s a simple pre-content creation ritual you can use before every session to help you stay focused, inspired, and confident:
1. Check in with yourself
Before you start writing, recording, or brainstorming, pause and ask: How am I feeling right now? If you’re feeling stuck, unfocused, or uninspired, don’t push through—reset first.
2. Make a small shift
Use one of the quick strategies from earlier in this post: Move your body, change your environment, take deep breaths, or reframe your thoughts. Even two minutes can make a massive difference.
3. Set an intention
Decide what you want your audience to feel after engaging with your content. Instead of focusing on how it will perform, focus on who it will help.
When you prioritize your mindset, creativity, and motivation, content creation stops feeling like a struggle and starts feeling like something you enjoy again.
I’d love to hear from you! What’s your biggest struggle when it comes to showing up with the right mindset for content creation? Send me a DM or tag me on Instagram (@micheleduweobm) with your biggest takeaway.
