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People get inspired by a multitude of different experiences. Traditionally, inspiration is defined as a momentary experience, where a situation, event, or person sparks new possibilities, capabilities, and actions. However, inspiration needs to be sustained over time and translated into action to impact our work and lives positively.
How people find inspiration is unique to each person. In his article on his blog about "why you should stop waiting for inspiration and start acting on it," Adam Sicinski suggests that "inspiration typically comes under the following conditions:
When you are living with passion.
When you are intensely curious about something.
When you spend a copious amount of time in solitude and self-reflection.
When you expose yourself to new knowledge or information.
When you expose yourself to a new set of experiences or perspectives.
When you converse with other people or brainstorm ideas.
When you undergo some life transition or change.
When adversity strikes and you feel pressed against the wall.
When you are taking massive and unreasonable action towards a goal."
Adam Sicinski (ibid.) further suggests that conditions such as the ones he mentions above will present people with "an opportunity; an opportunity to find that special something that will help spark inspiration." Holzer, A., Spataro, S., and Baron, J. G., in their book, Dare to Inspire (2019:7), define the spark (this initial moment of inspiration) as "the intersection of possibility and invincibility." They provide the following table of Inspiration Engines divided into the three categories of 'sparked by you,' 'sparked by others' and 'sparked by situations' (2019:261-262):
Sparked by you:
Values and purpose,
Activating strengths,
Achievements,
Unstructured time,
New perspectives,
Body movement & presence
Sparked by others:
Belonging,
Mentors & heroes,
Getting a lift,
Serving others,
Shared mission,
Vulnerability
Sparked by situations:
Environments that move us,
Overcoming constraints,
Witnessing excellence,
Making a difference,
Shared group experiences,
Grief, loss, or failure
Adam Sicinski suggests that "you will typically struggle to find this spark if you are unable to effectively manage your emotions, or struggling with limiting beliefs or unrealistic expectations. All of these factors will simply sabotage your progress and prevent you from moving forward in an optimal way" (ibid.).
"A mighty flame follows a tiny spark." — Dante Alighieri (www.goodreads.com)
Holzer et al. suggest that "inspiration can be actively sought after and sustained over time" (2019:13). I strongly agree with Adam Sicinski's conclusion on the same lines that "inspiration is not a passive act but rather a proactive venture that reveals itself through the actions we take in the pursuit of our goals." Coaching can help frame people's perspectives to embrace inspiration and guide them towards moving forward and taking action to reach their objectives.
What is Holdback?
The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary defines holdback as: "Something that retains or restrains" and as "to keep from advancing to the next stage, grade, or level."
The reasons for people feeling held back might well be the same ones as suggested by Adam Sicinski to make people struggle to find inspiration, such as being "unable to manage [one's] emotions effectively or struggling with limiting beliefs or unrealistic expectations." Other factors might be limited financial resources, little knowledge, skills and capabilities, fears, and so on.
How to move towards a perspective based on Inspiration
Often, people do not recognize what is holding them back from reaching their goals. And even if they do identify the reason, a coach may support them to move towards a perspective based on inspiration to achieve the desired outcome.
"Inspiration is fleeting. It comes and goes just as quickly, and as inspired you can feel at one moment, you may feel deflated the next" (Adam Sicinski). Therefore, inspiration needs to be sustained over time and translated into action to impact our work and lives positively. "When you are feeling most inspired, that is the time to take massive and immediate action to bring your idea to fruition. The purpose of that burst of inspiration is to immediately encourage you to take positive action towards your desired outcome. Moreover, it encourages you to go the extra mile and to persist in the face of adversity and uncertainty. When you're feeling inspired, you feel fearless. All the fears you worried about no longer have the same hold on you. You have suddenly become a free spirit who is willing to take risks and do whatever it takes to accomplish your desired outcome" (ibid.).
One can make a connection here to the definition by Holzer et al. (2019:7) earlier mentioned of the spark of inspiration as "the intersection of possibility and invincibility." Furthermore, stimulation enables an "optimal state of mind that allows us to pursue our desired aims with more confidence, courage, and positive energy" (Adam Sicinski).
To make full use of inspiration, "a balance between thinking and action is needed to help bring desired outcomes to fruition." Inspiration "often comes to those who are flexible in perspective and who approach each situation with an open mind. What seems impossible is possible, and what won't work could very well work under the right conditions and with the right frame of mind" (ibid.).
Adam Sicinski suggests that "external events and circumstances can certainly spark inspiration, but ultimately that inspiration always comes from internal sources. It must, however, be noted that no matter how inspired you become, this will never lead to proactive action if you're lacking the necessary knowledge, resources, support, or skills that can help bring your goal to fruition. [One may come up with some fantastic ideas] but simply lack the necessary resources to follow through with those ideas. As such, later in life, many people struggle with regret about what could have or should have been if they had only acted on their idea. In order to avoid these pitfalls and regrets, we must dig deeper into what it truly means to act on inspiration." (ibid.).
Coaching application
As seen from the above discussion, positive, proactive action in pursuing one's goals is usually the best way to find inspiration. However, it is not necessarily within the moments of contemplation. "When we are moving, doing, talking, and grooving our way towards our goal, that is when all the pieces start to come together. All of a sudden, what initially didn't make any sense at all, or what in fact might have looked like a dead-end, finally starts to make perfect sense. Uncertainty turns to clarity, and the path ahead is now in full view" (ibid.). As a coach, I support my clients to move towards this perspective of inspiration and positive, proactive action to reach their goals.
My coaching model aims to support my clients to use the lens of inspiration to shed light on opportunities and resources that can help them move forward, continue learning, grow and find their way.
Supporting my clients to find their inspiration allows them to feel lighter and sustained in their moves towards their objectives and helps them move proactively out of any feelings or issues of holdback in their lives.
Inspiration has been such a significant and positive ingredient in my life, and as a coach, I aim to support my clients to find the spark to their inspiration and sustain it to help them find their way and reach their desired outcomes. While motivation and determination are essential to achieve one's goals, inspiration is that unique stimulus that helps one pull through, succeed and feel invincible and unstoppable.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working." — Pablo Picasso (www.goodreads.com) References
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/5031312.Dante_Alighieri [Accessed 27 Feb. 2020] "A mighty flame follows a tiny spark."
Holzer, A., Spataro, S., and Baron, J. G. (2019) Dare to Inspire, Da Capo Lifelong Books, New York
Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, [Accessed 27 Feb. 2020] "Holdback," https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holdback
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3253.Pablo_Picasso [Accessed 27 Feb. 2020] "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
Adam Sicinski / Lifetime Achiever [Accessed 27 Feb. 2020] "Here's Why You Should Stop Waiting for Inspiration and Start Acting on it!", https://blog.iqmatrix.com/acting-on-inspiration About me and AKK Find Your Way®
I am an Inspirational Leadership, Team and Life Coach, and I firmly believe that if people and teams can find their way in life on their terms, in their unique way, this will make them feel successful, fulfilled, and at peace with themselves. AKK Find Your Way® offers Coaching, Mentoring, Learning, and Training Services focused on enhancing awareness and knowledge and finding inspiration that can help ensure continuously moving forward and taking action on your vision and goals in your unique way!
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