Alongside the book “Goodbye, Things,” another title I find myself revisiting constantly is “Keep Going” by Austin Kleon.

The core essence of the book is how to stay creative and maintain your work regardless of the circumstances—whether it’s a good day, a bad day, or a day you simply don’t feel like doing anything at all.

I was hooked from the very first chapter, where Austin references the 1993 comedy-fantasy classic, Groundhog Day.

The Loop of Phil Connors

In the film, Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an arrogant and cynical weatherman who finds himself trapped in a time loop. Every morning, he wakes up on the exact same day—Groundhog Day.

At first, Phil is frustrated and hopeless. He tries everything to break the loop, but the clock always resets. Eventually, he stops trying to “escape” and starts trying to “live.” He spends his repeated days learning to play music, helping strangers, and genuinely caring for the people around him. He learns to make each day count.

Creative Work is Not a Destination

Austin Kleon uses this film to challenge how we view our work. Most people think of creativity as a linear journey from Point A to Point B. They believe that one day they will “arrive” at some grand destination.

But that mindset is a trap. It creates an invisible pressure for a future that hasn’t happened yet. Real creative work—and real life—is a daily practice. It’s not about getting somewhere; it’s about starting over every single morning. Like Phil in Groundhog Day, we wake up to a blank slate, and our only job is to fill it.

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” — Annie Dillard

The Loop is the Life

Whether you are a singer, a writer, a painter, or a professional in any field, the truth is the same: We cannot control the outcomes. We cannot control how the world reacts to us, and we cannot control the future.

The only thing we can control is today.

Success is just the sum of our days. When Phil Connors realized he couldn’t escape the loop, he decided to make that loop worth living. He focused on the task right in front of him.

In our work and our lives, we must do the same. Don’t worry about where you are “going.” Just focus on doing the work today, and then do it again tomorrow.

One day at a time.