Life Lesson

Chuck Close was famous for stating that amateurs wait for inspiration while the rest just show up and get to work.

At times, getting through the dip, pushing through the turmoil, and going through hell is the right path to go.

But more often than not, it’s far smarter to pull and push inspiration. (But I agree with Chuck that it’s not worth waiting for it.)

Inspiration can be pulled out of anywhere; not just ourselves. We can find inspiration from a tree or another’s piece of work or a book. Inspiration can be found by watching a neighbor do yard work or a car going 0 to 60 in three seconds.

It’s not just a matter of looking within ourselves for inspiration. It’s a matter of looking around.

And if that doesn’t work, pushing inspiration is a remarkable backup. Pushing inspiration in the sense of doing, saying, being something that will inspire others.

Give someone a book. Do yard work outside. Be someone else’s inspiration.

Stay Positive & What Goes Around Comes Around

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People work smarter after a vacation.

Seth Godin’s newest blog post shows up after I hit the refresh button.

We’re more energized after a shower.

Collaboration happens easily after a happy hour.

We’re more likely to do work that matters when our workspace is organized.

There’s moments all around to refresh.

Our energy. Our passion. Our empathy.

Stay Positive & Put A Refresh On The Calendar

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There’s not much good in people who linger.

A person who has overstayed their welcome is not a good situation. A group that stays at a restaurant after their official closed hours is no good. A micromanager, well, micromanaging beyond when they are needed is no good, either.

While we’re good at recognizing when people linger (and doing what we can to keep them moving on their way), we’re terrible at recognizing when thoughts linger.

We bask in frustration. We sulk in our mistakes. We hang onto moments of failure or disappointment.

If we could treat the negative lingering feelings like we do people, we’ll all be better off.

Stay Positive & Let Them Linger No More

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When a situation leads you to be frustrated, it’s more of an opportunity than something worth being frustrated with.

When you wish there was some better alternative to the experience you just went through… there is.

The responsibility is there for your taking.

To improve. To launch a better version.

Though complaining in general isn’t worth the energy, I suppose it could be worth it so long as action to make things better follows.

Stay Positive & Use It As A Trigger

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It’s the best assessment we could give our work.

It’s also the best compliment to receive.

There’s a writer who hasn’t posted on her blog in more than a month. I long for her words and thought leadership and lessons. She’s gone right now, and I miss her.

It’s a great reminder that we oughta strive to create work that’s missed if it were gone.

And probably be the kind of person that would be missed if we were gone, too.

Stay Positive & Make The Meaningful, Be The Meaningful

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In most of our ways, we are stuck.

Not necessarily in a bad sense, but in the sense of comfort and status quo and “the usual.”

Certainly in ways that we feel work out. Perhaps the way we drive to work or the beer we have in our fridge or the books we read. It’s all good.

But on the path to better (because there is always a better), we have to do things differently.

Drive a new way. Try a new beer. Read a new book.

The same goes for how we serve others.

Try a different joke or greeting. Add a different item to the merchandise wall. Offer a different food item.

Different does well for us in a lot of aspects. It opens us up to interacting with new people and in new ways.

And it’s that interaction that fulfills us and makes whatever discomfort we feel in something different, worth it.

Stay Positive & It’s Sometimes Scary At First, But Different Is The Way To Better

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The void is there for a reason.

It’s space to reflect. It’s time to get creative. It’s where you can find the energy to leap.

We all need processing time; for the past, present and future.

There’s no excuse for not using the white space.

Stay Positive & No Excuse For Not Making White Space, Either

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