Have you ever felt like the world lost its color? Have you ever lost motivation for the things that used to excite you? Have you ever felt lackluster and unwilling to tackle new projects? They're not unusual feelings. At some point in our lives, we've all felt that way.
But it needn't be a complicated problem that's hard to solve. You might just be feeling uninspired. A shot of inspiration could be all you need to recapture your lost energy. This blog post will explain what inspiration is and the one way you'll always be able to find it.
What Is Inspiration?
Inspiration is a feeling of enthusiasm that comes from something you've read, seen, or watched that motivates you to do something. Inspiration is both passive, because you take in something that inspires you, and active, because you then use that energy to create something of your own.
Inspired people see themselves as more creative, make better progress toward their goals, and feel better too. While you cannot force yourself to feel inspired, you can seek moments that are likely to inspire.
Where to Find Inspiration?
We sometimes lose motivation because we don't consume enough quality input. We scroll social media, read the news, or watch soap operas on Netflix, but how often do we actively take in greatness? How often do we watch or read something so excellent it inspires us? Steve Jobs said it best:
“Expose yourself to the best things humans have done and then try to bring those things into what you are doing.”
So here's what you need to do to get inspired. What inspires you will differ from what inspires someone else. So simply write down what makes you and you alone feel inspired. Keep a page in your notebook for when you're inspired and write down what made you feel that way.
Be specific. Instead of writing shoegaze song, write "Leave Them All Behind" from Ride really inspires me, because it reminds me to show all my doubters what I'm capable of.
Eventually, you'll have a page full of tailored events you can return to whenever you need a flash of inspiration. If your inspiration page is currently still blank, here are a few good categories to start: movies, books, sports, music, nature, travel, architecture, videogames, and people you look up to.
In Conclusion
You're not meant to feel inspired continuously. But if your world feels boring and you've lost motivation to do the things you used to love, you might just need some inspiration.
Search for the greatness that inspires you and write it down. Refuel with these inspiring moments for a more energized and creative life, so you can always keep moving forward.
