Inspiration on Queue?!?
Can it be forced? Or must it we wait for “inspiration to strike?”
This dilemma has been considered frequently by any employee in a creative industry (writing, film, music, etc.) or any employee in a creative field (such as marketing, advertising, innovation, etc.).
How do you come up with something new and great…consistently?!? Is it simply a “gift” one has? Or an ability to harness a certain focus or see things in a different light?
If you are in a creative industry or field, do you feel this pressure? How often? Is it a daily burden wondering: “Can I come up with another great idea today?” Or am I going to have “writers block” or continue in a “creative funk?”
It’s not just the creative folks in an industry who must deal with the daily inspiration conundrum. Leaders and anyone with a deadline also face this challenge. How do I continue to produce great results or lead my team if I don’t feel inspired?
It is possible to continue succeeding and leading without inspiration…but it is much more difficult. It is a lot more draining on us as leaders, as often less fulfilling. Wouldn’t it be great to keep inspiration “on tap?” If you figure out how to do that…please let me know! Some in creative or high production fields turn to pharmaceutical or illicit means of “generating inspiration.” This is never a sustainable solution and often has (many) negative long-term ramifications. And frankly, many negative short-term effects as well!
Weisbeck Consulting recommends several things that can help encourage inspiration. These things do not alter your state of mind but instead positively set you up for the opportunity of inspiration. They allow the setting to be right for “inspiration to strike.” This is not the same as waiting for it to strike, but instead doing everything that is in your power to encourage it to strike. Consider these measures like setting up a lightening rod on the highest point on your house so that when the storm strikes its chances of hitting are incredibly enhanced due to the lightening rod.
May the following recommendations greatly enhance your chances of being inspired more frequently:
Get enough sleep. This keeps your mind sharp. Too much or too little and you may be “foggy.”
Watch your caffeine content. You don’t want your mind so sharp it becomes anxious or distracted. Hitting just the right amount of caffeine can have an inspirational and motivating effect!
Daily Silent Prayer or Mediation. Doing this early in your day allows you to enter the day focused, organized, and often this time of reflection is filled with inspiration on how you should approach or prioritize certain aspects of your day. This can often be a time of incredible inspiration!
Take Meaningful Breaks. I know, I know. Breaks…really? What a waste of time. Yes, I feel the same way – I can simply power through anything and “stay productive.” Yet productivity is frequently an adversary of inspiration. Productivity wants to “push through” and inspiration wants to “wander.” Figure how often and what types of activities (or lack thereof) provide you with a rejuvenating break.
Regular Physical Exercise. Personally, not a fan. Who has time to work out? Those who want healthy bodies and mental clarity. Damn…common sense wins again. Seriously though, brief physical exertion every couple of days does wonders to keep cobwebs off the ol’ “inspiration station.” I.E. your brain.
Weekly “Whiteboard” Time. I’ve heard it referred to as “Whitespace” Time…but a whiteboard both has space AND is just way awesomer. New word, yet still not amazing enough to describe the incredibleness of a whiteboard…but it’s a start! This means nothingness time. Time to “braindump” – old ideas, new ideas, random thoughts floating through the space betwixt your ears, all of it. Grab a marker (or 10) and begin unloading your arsenal of thoughts on your new best friend, the whiteboard.
Inspiration cannot be forced, but it can be encouraged.
