The great myth about prolific artists and entrepreneurs and people who, in general, just get a lot of sh*t done, is that they are more talented, have better connections or are just luckier than the rest of us. It’s the legend of the overnight success that has us green with envy and groaning that we couldn’t possibly ever get “there”, wherever “there” is.

Sure there are the crazy stories of someone who wrote one song about a pen, a pineapple and an apple and made a million dollars. (Disclaimer: this is all unsubstantiated hyperbole). You hear about these people because it’s so crazy and extreme. And that kind of stuff goes bonkers on Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

The more likely story for someone who is trying to write a book, start a business or promote their fabulous line of cat backpacks looks like clocking a lotta hours on your passion project. And to the outside eye, it actually looks kinda boring.

“Be Boring” is one of the creativity secrets that Austin Kleon, “a writer who draws”, advocates in his book Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative. What Kleon is saying is not “sit on the couch and watch TV and never go anywhere or do anything.” Instead, he says that creativity requires a lot of energy so you need to set parameters on the rest of your life: keep your day job, stay out of debt, buy an calendar and use it, and make good marriages – both romantic and in business.

Austin Kleon is one of my favorite authors, but even more impressive to me is his practice of blogging every day. In my short experience as a twice-a-week blogger, this is just plain old impressive. I am finding it an uphill battle to be consistent, to find those pockets of time to write, to Keep Going – it even seems a little well, boring sometimes, compared to a night on the couch watching TV.

But that’s the lie. Don’t get me wrong – I like taking a break just as much as the next gal. The lie comes in when I tell myself, Oh, I can write or do the dishes or work out later. Instead, later finds me still on the couch and I’ve done nothing to move my life forward in a positive direction.

Growing up is a lot about being boring. Except boring might not look the same to everyone. It can look like sitting at my desk, going for a walk, or nurturing those habits that will shape my life like the tide slowly carves out a rock.

This advice from Kleon rings true to me. I know in my heart that the only way I will get those important big things done is by being consistent with those gentle boring everyday habits.