09 Jul Where Do You Find Inspiration?
Where do you find inspiration?
In my book, Do What You Love, I emphasize that inspiration doesn’t strike. More often than not, we don’t feel like taking action, and we find ourselves trapped in the handcuffs of procrastination. We trick ourselves into thinking we’ll get around to pursuing our dreams later, but that “later” is usually filled with watching our favorite shows on Netflix, mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, or indulging in any distraction that keeps us from pursuing our passions. Unfortunately, inspiration won’t magically show up at our doorstep, ready to gift us with action. However, we can actively seek inspiration to push us into taking the next right step toward our dreams.
One activity that never fails to ignite my creative flow is reading great books. My house is filled with stacks and stacks of them: in my home office, on a small bookshelf in my living room, and more often than not, scattered across my kitchen table. My nightstand is never without a few enticing options for me to peruse before bed. Books inspire me to create because the authors share fascinating ideas that encourage their readers to think about life differently.
Yesterday, as rain poured outside, and the world seemed a bit dreary, I found joy in spending time rereading some of my favorite books. Elizabeth Gilbert, in her remarkable work Big Magic, reminded me to “Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them.” Stephen King helped me remember that “Your job isn’t to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up.” in his book On Writing. And Austin Kleon’s advice of “Every new idea is just a mashup or a remix of one or more previous ideas.” in Steal Like An Artist helped me gain clarity while writing my new book.
Books are filled with magic. I love having a collection of ideas readily available whenever I need a creative kick or someone to elevate my creative courage.
So, what inspires you? And more importantly, how often do you engage with that source of inspiration? Here’s to finding your inspiration this week.
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