How do you maintain your daily enthusiasm and inspiration?
Whether you're an artist, writer, entrepreneur, or just trying to keep yourself inspired in your daily life, this is a question that you've probably asked yourself at some point. We asked accomplished artists working in different mediums for their advice. Consider a few major points of insight:
Seek Out Diverse Experiences:
To Maintain Inspiration It is important to constantly challenge and expand your creative horizons. Experiencing something completely new may be quite inspiring, whether it's a trip to a faraway land, a new pastime, or simply a new acquaintance. As one research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology put it, "Fresh experiences can provide a source of inspiration and excitement that increases creative thinking."
Rest Often:
It's easy to lose inspiration and motivation when you're constantly working or taking care of other mundane tasks, so it's important to schedule breaks periodically. Moreover, "taking breaks during long activities enhances performance," as stated in a study published in the journal Cognition. Thus, go for a little stroll, put on some music, or just take a break from what you're doing.
Use the ideas and experiences of others as motivation:
Oftentimes, it's the company of others that does the trick. Maintaining your motivation and drive can be facilitated by surrounding oneself with positive role models. Decent artists imitate, great artists steal," Picasso once stated.
Establish Objectives
Having well-defined goals and objectives in mind can serve as a source of inspiration and drive. The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reported that "those who set explicit, hard goals were more motivated than those who set vague or simple goals." If you want to succeed, whether in your personal or professional life, you need to set goals that are both detailed and demanding.
Showing thanks
is an excellent way to keep the motivation and enthusiasm levels up. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that "gratitude increases pleasant feelings and well-being, which in turn enhance motivation and creativity."
As a last thought, remember that maintaining inspiration and motivation is a process, not an endpoint. You can maintain your daily inspiration and originality by exposing yourself to new things, pausing for rest and reflection, searching out the work of others, establishing concrete goals, and making an effort to express gratitude.
Some words of wisdom from Maya Angelou: "Creative energy is infinite. If you put it to use, you'll have more of it."
