Personal Development
Waiting for inspiration to strike…
Lately, I’ve been searching for inspiration. I yearn for something to inspire me to do, to act, to reach. And, there are people who inspire me. But, I can’t rely on them to inspire everyday. So, I’m left alone. With a blank page and blinking cursor.
I want to write, and I am writing, but I want to write more and I think of titles, like “6 Ways to Get Ahead” or “10 Things Every Young Professional Should Know.” But, they’re just titles; there’s no meat behind them. Right now, anyway.
I google inspiration. The results, are less than inspirational and leave me feeling icky and unsure.
Once again, I have to look elsewhere. I read. I watch. I search.
Nothing. Perhaps, a fleeting moment of inspiration. But, nothing that lasts.
Then I do.
And, it happens. By just writing that first word, I find that I can write more. Sure, I might delete a lot of them, too, but each word is followed by another and another and another. Is it inspiration? I’m not quite sure. It just flows.
All along, I just needed to start. Sure, a little inspiration— a good book or blog post or quote —helps.
But, instead of waiting and searching, I just needed to Do, to Act, and to Reach.
So, is inspiration required? Are you waiting for inspiration to strike, or are you just doing?
Discussion
9 comments for “Waiting for inspiration to strike…”
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I try to remind myself that I wrote amazing papers in college all the time. But still, there’s no replacement for when the inspiration hits you in the shower and you have to get out, dripping - and seriously risking the safety of your computer - before you lose it all.
Have you ever seen this video of Elizabth Gilbert? Her thoughts on inspiration are, well, inspirational
http://bossygirls.blogspot.com/2009/02/creative-genius.html
Okay. I’m with you on the shower thing. Why does that always happen!?!
Also, I have watched Elizabeth Gilbert, and I agree. I can be inspired - and I often am - I guess it’s more of working through it when I’m not. Make sense? Anyway, thanks for sharing your inspiration, Rebecca.
Angela,
I totally hear you. A lot of us have it backwards; we wait for the inspiration before we write/act. When we act first it creates a kind of inspirational vacuum that draws the inspiration in. Inspiration actually means ‘to draw in’, every breath is an inspiration. In my experience inspiration is as simple as breathing but takes courage to act first.
Just doing is the best form. To many people wait for inspiration and before you know it they never get anything done. I think people are surprised at what happens when they just start.
However if I ever really need some inspiration I just check out any talk Gary Vaynerchuk has done. He always gets me moving.
@Rachel I like that, “inspiration is as simple as breathing.” Very nice.
@Jared Exactly. Just do it. And, I do like Gary as well. He certainly can motivate!
I hear you Angela! It’s hard to keep on writing, and even harder when you’ve put pressure on yourself to write what you consider to be great stuff.
You’re allowed to slack sometimes, and I’d go as far as to say that down-time helps you do the things that matter, better.
How about this as inspiration? You inspire others. Be inspired by the mere fact that you are an inspiration to other people.
Your blog was one of the reasons I got more serious into blogging. I seriously, before reading your blog and others like it, didn’t even know blogs like this existed. And, I think you were one of my first RSS feeds.
So, maybe that can inspire you.
Thanks for including me in your links of who inspires you - means a lot.
@Steve The pressure thing is huge for me. When I feel I NEED to it, it becomes that much harder. Thanks for bringing that up.
@Jamie That’s so sweet of you to say! You made my day.
Fantástico!
Empezar el libro y saber que esto me va a gustar.
Es el libro que yo no he sabido escribir.Por muchas razones.Pero juro que me hubiese gustado ser la autora, tambén por muchas razones.Besos Liz.
maria.