Chasing Inspiration

I think it’s better to attract inspiration, but sometimes you have no other option than chasing inspiration down in order to catch some creative ideas.

There are mythological forest spirits made of light called Will O’ The Wisps that lure unsuspecting mortals into the woods in order to drive them mad or have them wander across the boundary from the mortal world and into the fairy realm.

I liken chasing inspiration to trying catch a will o’ the wisp

The pull is hard to resist.
It feels like inspiration is calling to you personally, and if you could just get a little closer you know in your heart that you’ll have all sorts of ideas in your hands.

You might convince yourself that scrolling through social media is going to lead to inspiring ideas, or checking your email inbox will lead to finding a subject line or message that sparks a creative concept, or you just need to wander away from your desk for a little while and “recharge” while watching that documentary series on Netflix that everyone is talking about (I mean, it’s a documentary — that’s like work-related, right?).

These are all just bright shiny lights promising you inspiration and productivity, while really luring you away from your most important work.

A better strategy is to use the distraction itself as inspiration

• What is it about the shiny light that is capturing your attention?
• Why is it so compelling and attractive to you?
• What makes you want to chase it, catch it?

Take those elements and transform them into an idea of your own that is so compelling and inspirational that your prospects and customers and co-workers and managers will be chasing it down to catch it for themselves.