🤓 How to get inspired?

Thoughts by Ronen Shetelboim, #9・ Aug 31, 2022

Inspiration is a powerful thing. 💪

Feeling inspired can be the reason you get out of bed in the morning, generate your best ideas, solve complex problems and do your best work. 🙌

Yet, you can't predict what is going to inspire you…

Or when inspiration is going to strike.

Inspiration can visit us, but has a tendency not to stick around for very long.

But, here is the good news..

You can be proactive about getting inspired.

If you create an environment that welcomes inspiration, then it will visit you more often.

Below are a few strategies that will help you find inspiration. 👇

You can use these strategies in any aspect of your life (e.g. coming up with new ideas for work, finding new hobbies, get out of a rut, coming up with business ideas and etc...)

So… without further ado, let’s get into it:

8 strategies to get you inspired

1. Reading. I recently saw this quote and I absolutely love it. "If you are overwhelmed with ideas and projects, you should write it all down, but… if you are underwhelmed you should read, read to get inspired". Reading has many benefits. One of the key benefits is that reading has the ability to inspire you. Reading improves your imagination, creativity, and as a result can generate new ideas and inspiration. Keep in mind that reading doesn’t have to be a book, it can be a blog, the news, twitter, LinkedIn, a newsletter etc.. Make sure you have time set aside to create a habit of reading.

2. Save your ideas (aka Swipe File). Save your ideas and inspirations, it can be in a digital google doc or physical notebook. It can really be anything that inspires you - a quote, a photo in a magazine, a slide from a presentation. Make sure your swipe file is easily accessible to you at all times as you can’t predict when inspiration strikes. I've been keeping a digital file with all of my ideas and inspirations for a couple of years now and it’s been an absolutely game changer. Anytime I look for inspiration, I just open my swipe file, and within 5-10 minutes I find something that inspires me. My swipe file includes marketing ideas, business ideas, quotes, book summaries and more. I love the digital file since I can access it from my phone and I can search based on specific keywords or topics. 

3. Talk to people & be curious. Pick up the phone, call a friend, grab a coffee with a colleague, talk to strangers, message someone you look up to on LinkedIn. Ask questions, be curious. Start with a simple question. Ask your friend / colleague / mentor what inspires them or what are their goals. Hearing about other people's inspirations and goals is a great hack to get inspired quickly.💡Pro Tip! Reach out to someone that you admire on LinkedIn, someone that you don’t know, ask to pick their brain or to get their advice.

4. Physical activity. Any format of physical activity works. It will help you clear your mind and allow your mind to attract inspiration. Research shows that exercise improves cognitive function, self-esteem and overall mood. Even a simple exercise like taking a walk can strike inspiration.💡Pro Tip! Start tomorrow, when getting up in the morning, right away, before coffee. Go on a 10 minutes walk or do 3 sets of push-ups and 3 sets of squats. (it should take you 5-10 min max).

5. Spending time in nature. Being in nature inspires a sense of Awe. Awe is this feeling that the world is so much bigger than you can comprehend and that leads to expansive thinking, new ideas & inspiration. Creative people often talk about how they have found spending time in nature essential to their work.💡Pro Tip! Spending time in nature doesn’t mean that you have to go on a camping trip. For me, it’s just about being outside. Going on a walk, going to the beach or going to the park usually does the trick. 😉  

6. Change your environment. There are many studies that show how changing your environment influences how you think and feel. Work from a new location, travel, and spend time with new people. Changing your environment can also be something small like changing the location of your desk or cleaning your office! Don’t underestimate how a simple change in your environment can have a massive impact on you getting inspired. If you curious to learn more about this, you should check out Marie Kondo’s work.

7. Relaxing time and then stop to smell the roses. There is a great quote by Mark Black - “Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax”. You have to be intentional about relaxing time. If you want to find inspiration you have to remember to relax. The very thing that can inspire you might be right there next to you. If you are relaxed, you’ll remember to stop and smell the roses. If you are too busy, stressed or occupied with thoughts you won’t notice the roses. Give yourself the opportunity to capture inspiration by making sure you have time to relax.

8. The 5 Minute Journal. I start my day every morning with The 5 Minute Journal. It’s a journal for people that don’t like journaling or don’t have time for journaling. It inspires me because it reminds me of my big goals and allows me to practice gratitude on a daily basis for under 5 minutes. Reminding yourself what you want, what you are working for and being grateful for the things you have keeps you motivated and inspired. I can’t recommend it enough. You can get it on amazon or through their website called Intelligent Change.

Thank you for reading. I hope you’ll find it inspiring!

Per usual, let me know if you have any thoughts and have a fantastic week! 🙌