I’m not sure about you, but inspiration is very rarely a constant for me.
The Sprint
There are crazy bursts of energy that come with being inspired. Over the years I have come to realize I have to use those bursts to propel me forward. For example, if I am inspired to write longer form articles, I will do so at a maniac pace (for me). Much more than a brain dump, I ride these waves of ‘needing to act’ as long as I possibly can.
That probably explains how, a few months back, I wrote a bunch of articles on Medium and each one got noticed by an editor or picked up by a publication. Alas, these hyper productive bouts do not last forever.
After these shorter periods of increased inspiration, I often feel like I am a sprinter that just competed in a few different track events in one day – needing to rest and tone it down for a couple weeks afterwards.
The Distance
There are more steady states of inspiration. Like running my blog, my year of vlogging, a lifetime of staying in shape, and more. Yet these are more of a “long distance run” type of energy level. These kinds of projects are more akin to restoring an old car or remodeling part of your house. It takes patience, time, and the slow and steady burn of focused determination.
I find that my “distance” projects often start off with the sprint. It takes a lot of energy to get something started, and a lightning strike of inspiration is often just what is needed.
The Goal
Everyone has a different goal. Perhaps a finish line that you set in your mind when you were a kid, in college, or even just today. Some goals are hard and fast:
- Start writing
- Make money with my blog
- Get promoted
- Start a Family
- Lose 20 pounds
Yet some are more aspirational in nature:
- Become a better writer
- Inspire those who read my blog
- Change the world through my work
- Love my family and raise my kids right
- Stay healthy in to my old age
Where Am I?
Are you sprinting right now or settled in for the long haul?
Either way, take advantage of your pace. If you are in ‘distance mode’, then use that time to store up some of that “sprint” energy. If you are sprinting, then haul ass and get to it!
We all need inspiration.
It’s what you do with it that matters.
This was first posted over on Medium. If you like these longer form posts, you can get early access to them by becoming a Patron for $1 a month.
Scott from California 