Writer and "accidental TV personality" John Hodgman admits in a podcast interview that he's a supremely talented procrastinator, being far behind on a book project. When he's able to write despite his most powerful instincts, it's because he literally forces his hands to move on the keyboard.
Interviewed by behavioral economics researcher Dan Ariely, Hodgman discusses how easily he can convince himself of how important everything else besides actual writing can seem so beneficial. Reading about a fantasy series, catching up on world news, being active on Twitter—"It's all research," Hodgman says, even if he knows it's a false motto. But he does believe in the power of, basically, faking it. Literally forcing his hands onto the keyboard at the end of a day where he's avoided his writing in expert fashion can yield an hour of creative achievement, Hodgman says, and it's easy to hear that he means it.