Paint Yourself Out of a Corner

Feeling stuck? Don’t wait around for a moment of clarity. We make our own inspiration, says consultant Allison Holzer.

What’s your definition of inspiration?

“It’s the intersection of two important things: possibility and invincibility. When someone feels inspired, they are opened up to greater possibilities. All of a sudden, they see things differently and have new and bigger ideas. That’s one piece. The other part is this feeling of ‘I can make it happen.’ It’s a greater sense of confidence. I’ve also found that you don’t have to wait for inspiration to happen, and you can make it last.”

How can you make it happen?

“There are those who get inspired by their relationships with people. Others are more inspired by their environment or situation. Unstructured time is important. When our brains are given a break from actively trying to problem solve, inspiration can occur. I’m also affected by what I call emotionally moving environments. I go out in nature, or to a novel environment where I’m going to meet new people. Being outside of my everyday experience really sparks inspiration.”

Why is being inspired so important?

“More than ever, people today want to feel a sense of purpose. People want to be inspired in their work. The average person spends around 90,000 hours at work in a lifetime. It’s a huge amount of time, and it’s an opportunity. If someone is prioritizing inspiration, it makes such a difference in terms of their own well-being and the sense of purpose in their work. It also has a positive impact on the people around them.”

Holzer, the chief innovation officer at coaching firm InspireCorps, is the co-author of Dare to Inspire, out now