Steve Pavlina blogs about how author Malcolm Gladwell wrote most of his recent bestseller at coffee shops, and how Steve himself works on projects away from his usual desk to stay focused and connected to the work. I wrote all of Grow Your Band's Audience at the Borders in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania on a string of Saturday afternoons during a period when I was still doing a lot of consulting for public radio stations. More Gigs Now is the direct result of afternoons away from my office phone at Fuel Coffeehouse in Athens.

If you're finding yourself stuck in a rut over your songwriting, your album art, or anything else in your music career, it may be time to break some habits. Take yourself out of your normal comfort zone. Find a public place that's big enough to hold your dreams, and bring your notebook.