“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
Have you ever just run out of inspiration and didn’t know where to turn?
Of course you have — we all have. I face this situation at least once a week.
And while I’ve written about some of my favorite sources of inspiration before, I decided to turn to all of you for ideas. I asked the question on Twitter: Where do you turn to when you need inspiration?
The responses were overwhelming. I couldn’t reprint all of them, but I picked a handful of my favorites (I liked many more than the ones below).
Here they are — 30 great sources of inspiration, thanks to my friends on Twitter:
- Be open at all times – the best inspiration finds you. (@ecyaj)
- The Bible. (@yclept_john, @flaimster, @sdatexas, @PreacherNorm, @kylemaxwell)
- Blogs like Zen Habits, Think Simple Now, Dumb Little Man. (@GentleLiving, @Imokon, and others)
- Poetry. (@Eusebius)
- When overwhelmed with thinking, I just need to clear everything out and focus. (@Imokon)
- Inner film. I close my eyes and start a movie projector in my head, and wait for the projected film to start. It always works. (@montjo)
- Pull out an Ansel Adams or Walker Evans book. Instant inspiration! (@OoffAhh)
- Music (@larudden, @Nexxion, and others) From @DannyLamas: “Music, always. Whether it’s motivational or creative inspiration.” From @ndsizemore: “Quick inspiration, for me, often comes from my music collection.”
- Large doses of silence. (@schizoidnix) Also, from @laughsoutloud: “I take the time to get quiet. Then it all flows.” And from @SpiritChaser126: “I quiet my mind and The Universe usually starts to show me exactly what I need to see throughout the day.”
- I look within. (@ksweeney253)
- The ocean. (@Xyc0)
- Nature. (@cafegurl) From @Maggie2Day: “For true inspiration I turn to nature … always straightens me out if I am opened to go straight.” From @africankelli: “Sunrise hikes, in particular.”
- For inspiration I go outside for a walk. (@hiwendee) From @ninabarnard: “I go outside and walk, breathe deep, notice all colors, sounds, smells and think of what I’m grateful for.”
- Thumb through magazines at bookstore. (@hiwendee)
- Mountains. Any mountains. (@silverbenz)
- A shower. (@juanmab)
- Look at the sky and think big! (@crackpat)
- Call a friend to brainstorm. (@marriedwluggage)
- Books: library, store, my bookshelf. Grab a latte and cruise Barnes & Noble. (@sarahgbennett)
- The present. Enjoying the now. (@shaunl17)
- When I read something on the web that inspires me (usually from blogs), I save in delicious. I go there when I need inspiration. (@noodlesome)
- Jack Canfield’s The Success Principles
. (@Fred0828)
- My friends and family! (@goopster24)
- One-minute stillness meditation by Stacy Mayo. (@annijm)
- This will sound new-agey, but I like to sit there and let the lack of inspiration be until it dissolves. (@acordaamor)
- Steve Jobs’ Stanford speech. (@ctolsen)
- I run, alone. (@jsaldiva)
- I find people who do things that seem impossible and try to figure out how they did them. Their quotes are backed by their story. (@saxmanmike)
- TED.com inspirational talks. (@rbadr)
- And (cue drumroll) … a cool new Zen Habits poster! (From the gorgeous Goddess Leonie, who has promised to bake me cupcakes. Yumm.)
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Read more about simple productivity, focus and getting great things done in my book, The Power of Less.
