Sometimes life can be a beach. Other times it can be incredibly difficult.
We get stuck in the drudgery of our routine, we get frustrated by unforeseen roadblocks, and we feel overwhelmed. The life of an untemplater can be emotionally draining. In those difficult trenches of our lives it’s easy to lose track of why we began the journey to achieve our goals in the first place.
This week, I want to know what you are inspired by. Is there something like a quote, a person, or a place that you think back to in order to get yourself back on your feet? Maybe there’s a book, a film, a website, or a song that puts you in a better mood or reminds you why you made your goals to begin with. Unlike the things that keep you accountable or the reasons for which you set your goals, what is something that you can think about (or experience) that will kick your butt into getting yourself back on track?
P.S. Don’t list Untemplater.com as something that inspires you. We already know you love us. :]
The book that inspired me is Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander
The movie that inspires me is Pursuit of Happyness featuring Will Smith
But what really got the ball rolling for me as far as my goals for this year is Steve Job’s Graduation Speech at Stanford.
Whenever my life starts to feel too routine – which I reached a point at this week, despite a string of awesome serendipity – having my own inspiration being reflected back to me helps me keep perspective.
I love keeping in touch with my roots – friends and family who have seen me evolve overtime, and I them. Being able to remind each other of how far we come, and how we’re living the dreams we only once spoke of – is so very re-centering for me.
Dariane,
Fear of failure is my number one motivator – always has been…
I hate that this is the thing that kicks me in the butt each and every day but it is. I guess having my kids look across the breakfast table each morning would be another motivator huge source of my power. We all want to be heros for our kids and signifigant other, right?
I know exactly what you mean about the smell. You should try used-books stores. The paper smell is much greater.
lol!
I love the Strand Bookstore. I go nuts in there! 😀
OOh Nice question! This might be weird, but everytime I feel down or uninspired I walk into a bookstore. I like nice, big bookstores filled with all kinds of books. Just walking in makes me feel immediately better! I just walk amongst the books thinking of all the knowledge there I could access and (sometimes, yes I know this is weird) I smell the paper! HAHA!
Failure inspires me.
Great post! I love this blog 🙂 I’ll be checking in on your articles more often.
When I get stressed out I love listening to music, and my go to pieces include: Brahm’s “German Requiem” and Arvo Pärt’s “Da Pacem Domine.” Both have beautiful melodic lines and the sound washes over the stresses of the day. It is a gentle reminder why I teach music. Because of the power that music holds in my life and in lives of people around the world.
Putting things aside like quotes, images, and regulatory sentiments that are “supposed” to inspire…I’m always lifted up by a new idea. The possibilities, the potential of a new solution, a new program, a new workout method…
I’m with you on this one. There’s always a sort of an exciting energy that goes along with a new idea that’s unlike anything else. What’s an example of a new idea you had or discovered that inspired you?
I am inspired by others’ success. Seeing another accomplish goals similar to my own inspires me to shake off any distractions and focus on realizing my own dreams. Their enthusiasm and excitement are contagious, infecting me with the desire to keep working.
I think you make an important point when you mention other people achieving goals SIMILAR TO YOUR OWN. For me personally, when I look to others’ success, there’s a fine line between being inspired by them and being jealous. I think there’s some sort of competitive spirit inside me that causes me to be jealous.
Despite that feeling though, in the end it’s all just a huge kick in the butt to get to work and accomplish those goals.
I agree with the jealousy thing. It’s taken me a *long* time to get that in control and to realize that just because someone else is successful doesn’t decrease my chances of success at all — In fact, it can sometimes help you out more when other people accomplish things. (The inspiration for one, or advancing/bringing attention to something.)
I’m definitely inspired by those girls out there with their own cars racing. 🙂 Someday, I’ll be just like them!!
This excerpt from The 50th Law always helps.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cent/make-everything-your-own_b_356915.html
Besides that Ralph Waldo Emerson has some great quotes that are always inspirational.
Thanks so much for sharing this link. This is the first time I’ve ever heard of The 50th Law… and that is DAMN inspirational! 50 Cent? Who knew? :p
Challenge inspires me. Meeting someone that makes me think “ok, I have to step up.” Life is easy without challenges.
Oh that’s a good one. I’m curious, what are some things people you’ve met have said to you to ‘step it up?’
I tend to be the opposite. Meeting someone who is successful and makes it look easy just depresses me. I much prefer people who had to fight tooth and nail and have the scars to prove it. Because then I can identify a lot better.
For me, one of the most inspirational things I can do to re-center myself is to simply go out and be surrounded by nature. The forest works best. I just go to a place where there is me and Mother Earth – no cars, no computers, no phones, no people. There’s something extremely calming about it.
I’m seeing a recurring theme with you Edward: giving yourself a break from technology. Do you have a favorite spot near your area that you frequent to refocus?
For me I live in LA without a car, so I usually just take the public bus out to the beach (in fact, I just did this today!). The waves calm me and the environment seems to give me permission to let my mind wander off.
I get addicted to technology very easily. But it is important to unplug from time to time and reconnect with the things that are really important. And, as a true introvert, I need to be away from people to recharge.
Before I moved, it was very easy. I had woods right behind my house. I just had to go a couple hundred yards and I was alone. Now, however, things aren’t that simple. Northern Colorado simply doesn’t have that many trees. They seem to all be in the mountains. We have several “natural areas” but the problem with plains is that you can see the road for miles.
In line with my “back to nature” theme, I did something today that I haven’t done in a while and found it very refreshing and invigorating. I took a walk in the snow.
I had to a function on campus at the local university and parking is at a premium, so I parked at a friend’s house who lives about half a mile from the school and hoofed it. Meanwhile, my area is experiencing the Blizzard of February (we’ve had one almost every month since winter started in October). Sure I was still surrounded by those trappings of civilization as cars and houses, but with a blanket of snow covering everything and more falling, everything seemed so peaceful.
This will sound odd… but it’s baking. Baking a loaf of bread helps me remember what my goals are. I want a life that isn’t complicated, a meaningful life, and I want to have the freedom to do what I want and not what other people tell me to do. Baking is also very relaxing for me, and helps me destress and unwind when life gets crazy and I get carried away.
So I bake. For me, a loaf of bread symbolizes the life I want — where meaningful, deliberate slowing down to create results in something that nurtures other people and is good for my soul. After I bake, I feel ready to assess which things in my life are and aren’t helping me achieve that goal, and act accordingly.
I love baking. Making cookies and cakes reminds me of summers as a child at my grandmother’s. Unfortunately, cookies and cakes are rather fattening, so I try to limit them.
Wow so much symbolism in such a simple act! I love baking too, but I’ve never tried to bake bread (I usually stick to cookies and cupcakes). Know where I can find a good bread recipe?
Freedom. I love the idea of being able to do whatever I want whenever I want. We’re there right now at age 24 and will spend the next few years having fun and figuring out how to keep the good times rolling 🙂