How to Reliably Get Inspired

QUESTION

Joey, what do you do to find inspiration? What are some things that help you refill your tank, especially, after a tough day?

—Matt L.

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ANSWER

Matt, I approach inspiration through the fundamentals, which is something anyone can take advantage of. Here’s how.

There are two types of inspiration: Passive and Active.

Passive Inspiration is what most people think of when they discuss getting ideas. It’s the belief that “the muse will strike”—and then you’ll be off to the races. While that can happen (and often does if you’re primed for it), it isn’t reliable.

Active Inspiration is the proactive endeavor of finding the building blocks for new ideas. In simple terms, this is when we reach out and strike the muse. Once understood and wielded properly, this is the cornerstone of our ability to reliably create.

There are three steps to Active Inspiration.

1. Collect: Before you can parse, you must have something to parse. Collect ideas in whatever way makes sense for the project at hand—a computer folder, a note on your phone, a notebook, a physical box, etc. Focus on Volume (collect a lot) and Contrast (make sure what you collect is different).

2. Assimilate: Now that you have a folder filled with images or a notebook with thoughts and facts, it’s time to put them all to use. Break them down by individual elements, categorize them, and actually spend the time to sit your collected items and analyze them. Your goal is to learn something from each thing you’ve gathered.

3. Combine: With a host of fundamental ideas floating in your head, it’s now significantly easier to develop an idea. Let everything go and start building your creation. Don’t concern yourself with where you’ll end up—just get going and see where it takes you. If this round of active inspiration doesn’t prove fruitful, start from the beginning and do it again.

Even though Active Inspiration is the crux of reliable ideation, it’s worth discussing how you can increase your Passive Inspiration encounters.

Above all, make sure that you’re not just looking at the world as you go about your days, but actually seeing it. Indulge your curiosities, stop and examine things, let yourself get caught up in the moment if something catches your eye. Improving Passive Inspiration isn’t as concrete as Active Inspiration, but with time you’ll see the effects add up.

In regards to filling up my tank at the end of the day, I created a ritual called “Micro-Vacations” to help manage my energy (and enthusiasm). Essentially, I go on tiny vacations every single evening and weekend in the comfort of my home. You can read more about Micro-Vacations in this past Eureka issue.

—Joey

Creator of Baronfig
Author of The Laws of Creativity

The very first layer of what would eventually be the New York Public Library, a place that leaves me inspired every time I visit. This photo is from 1895.