Inspiration

I was brought up to be skeptical about inspiration.

It was much more important to work hard, to set goals and accomplish them, to be organized, than it was to be inspired. It was more noble to spend your life doing something that made you a good living than doing something that inspired you. Being practical was valued much more than being passionate.

I was good at doing what people expected me to do, so I set out to be a person who could get things done. I went o law school, and became a criminal prosecutor; I was the person who could give other people the right answers. I worked at a series of jobs, making a good living and trying to make each one more like what I hoped it would be.

I did what people expected me to do.

Slowly, over a long time, drops of inspiration would land on me, wearing away the expectations that had accumulated.

One day, I realized that I was asleep, and I began to wake up. The balance began to tip in the direction of inspiration.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to reflect on what I was inspired to do, how I was drawn to spend the rest of my life. I found the pieces of Strategic Monk, and took a major step toward inspiration.

Now I am inspired every day. The work I do is challenging and difficult work, and it helps me uncover my true self.

I still appreciate getting things done, putting into practice the lessons that inspiration teaches. There is a balance that encompasses both.

There is more to the story. Let me know if you would like to hear about it.

What inspires you?

[Image by AlicePopkorn]