Inspiration Matters – Make It Personal
We all need inspiration to keep us going.
Life comes with a myriad of curveballs, setbacks, and the like. When starting something new, you’re going to need a bright spot on the horizon – something to keep your sights set on that can help take your mind off trouble and give you a boost when you need it.
Inspiration can come in many forms, can’t it? I mentioned in an early blog that I am a super nerd for things like YA fantasy novels. I love Tolkien and have not only read many of his books, but all the books about the books - never mind the appendices! Sometimes when I’m feeling like I need a little kick in my pants, I’ll get myself into a Middle Earth kind of mood, put on the epic soundtrack, and start wandering down starlit paths deep in the Shire or beyond the Misty Mountains.
Ah, how’s that for cheesy ways to get inspired? But what it does is take my mind off the present moment and delivers me into a place where things are less hectic, maybe a bit more romantic, and a lot more majestic.
In business, I might simply start nosing around, looking at how others are ‘doing their thing’ in their category of expertise. I might do a deep dive into their strategic approach, immersing myself in their creative take on solving a problem, or a series of problems. Then, I’ll read up on some of their case studies: the why, how, and what they did - basically, the big outcomes. That’s inspiration of a different sort - not taking me out of my zone but widening the lens so I can see how others do what they do and find inspiration in their success, and, in many cases, their lessons learned.
Whatever helps you see outside of what’s just in front of you, that takes you into that wide open space, way out in the margins - that place where you can find a yes waiting, where you can experience the possible in the impossible - this is the magic of inspiration. Let it be your traveling partner as you navigate your path, reviving you just when you need it. Bringing that spark when life and circumstances feel a little dim.
Inspiration can come in so many forms. Find yours and make it personal!
What gets you going, or helps you get outside of yourself? I’d love to know - I’m sure we all would. Please share!