Find inspiration from the power of doing nothing

What is inspiration? How to find inspiration? I guess there are many definitions, but to me it is an insight or idea that can give a new perspective to something I’m working on. It can also be a completely new idea I’ve never thought of before. Inspiration may provide me with guidance that can lead to a new direction in life. Without inspiration, positive change cannot happen.

Painter and writers need inspiration, it’s their source from which they create; without inspiration they are lost. The best business ideas come out of inspiration, one single idea leading to something big. All our best decisions in life start as inspiration.

It’s funny how I find my inspiration; or is it that inspiration finds me? Sometimes it’s a little idea, where I need to write it down as soon as possible before it gets lost. Most articles in this blog started this way, even this one. I quickly store my inspirational ideas on my blackberry and retrieved them when I have time to work them out. Other ideas come to me in the form of revelations; big ideas with the power to change my perspective completely. Another form of inspiration is what I call the chain event, one piece of inspiration leading to the other, all starting from one small idea.

Inspiration comes from a deeper level than the thinking mind, not from our thoughts but from the sub conscious. It’s in situations when we do not think, the moments between our thoughts that we get inspired. Like intuition, it’s more like a feeling. You will literally feel it in your body when you received something good. Cherish this, as it is your guidance to an authentic life. It’s a direction given to you by your authentic self.

How to find inspiration?

When was the last time you had an inspirational moment? Think about it for a while. When was the last time you got inspired? Was this during a stressful period or when you were more relaxed? Did inspiration come up during a lot of thought chatter or when you experienced a moment of silence? I think I know the answer. I think I know how to find inspiration.

To receive inspiration we need to be relaxed and certainly not stressed, angry, worried, tired or drunk. A natural environment is helpful too. In all the occasions that I received inspiration, it never came to me when I was full of thought. There has to be a moment of silence, and opening for inspiration to come through. For me a walk in the park is usually all it takes to get the inspiration flowing again. Meditation is helpful too.

Inspiration and passion are closely related. Without passion there cannot be inspiration. You will not get inspired if you are doing something you don’t like. It’s impossible. That’s why it’s so important to follow your passion in life. To do the things you really like to do. Where passion is, you’ll find inspiration too.

Remember the last time you had a vacation? I’ll bet it took some time for you to get accustomed to the rhythm and simplicity of this temporary and well deserved life. For me it used to be like this: I was literary worn-out from all the things going on in my life. Stressed and, of course, little or no inspiration whatsoever. Usually it took me a couple of days to de-stress from my busy life. But after that I begin to feel good again, better than before. Inspiration is starting to flow, one idea generating after the other. At the end of the vacation I am refreshed, ready to take on anything, ready to find new inspiration.

The above example indicates how important a relaxed lifestyle is for inspiration. The trick is to live this life all the time, not only when you are on vacation. I vowed to live like this all the time. I think I manage pretty well. Well, that’s most of the times. Read my Living a simple life is living a stress free life article to see what happened during my last vacation.

I think there is a serious flaw in how most people live their lives. We think we need to do as much things as possible to get ahead. The more we do and the faster we do it, the better we become is the common understanding. This is certainly true to some extent, but without setting aside plenty of time to do nothing we don’t get anywhere. It’s the time between our actions that determines the quality of them; it’s the time between our thoughts that gives us inspiration.

We can only get inspired when our inner voice shuts down. We can only find inspiration from the power of doing nothing.

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3 comments… add one
  • Live life to fullest Nov 23, 2009 @ 2:58

    They say that, everything in world came from an idea.

    After reading your post I came to realize that everything in this world came from an “inspired idea” because if we look at most successful people and companies it is not their idea that made them successful, and not the dollars they put in their R&D departments. It is the “Will to execute” those ideas and that mostly fueled by inspiration. imho

    Very inspiring post Patrick.

    Thanks and best regards,
    Jay Yanuaria

  • nothingprofound Nov 23, 2009 @ 16:25

    If you’ve read my aphorisms you know I’m in complete accord with this. Few people appreciate the power and joy which lie in doing nothing.

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