WEBVTT - Inspiration is a discipline

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is that inspiration is a discipline. Consistently seek out

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<v Speaker 1>thought provoking, inspiring inputs if you want to produce the

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<v Speaker 1>best outputs. Today's tip comes from rapper Lecree by way

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<v Speaker 1>of Jeremy Utley, Stanford Adjunct Professor of AI and Design.

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<v Speaker 1>Utley recounts teaching a class of graduate students with lacray

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<v Speaker 1>and La Craye, telling the students that inspiration is a discipline.

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<v Speaker 1>Utley expanded on this and said, the most wildly creative

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<v Speaker 1>individuals I know are disciplined about cultivating the inputs to

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<v Speaker 1>their thinking because they know it affects the outputs of

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<v Speaker 1>their thinking. I think he's right. I tend to think

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<v Speaker 1>inspiration is a discipline in two ways. We can't just

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<v Speaker 1>wait to be inspired. Creative people regularly sit down and

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<v Speaker 1>tell themselves they will work for several hours, and they

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<v Speaker 1>often get inspired during this time. But I think it's

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<v Speaker 1>also true in the way Utley is discussing, which is

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<v Speaker 1>that if you are going to come up with good ideas,

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<v Speaker 1>you need good kindling to light those fires. You need

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<v Speaker 1>to make sure you are seeking out inspiring inputs to

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<v Speaker 1>make good outputs. So how do you get those inspiring inputs?

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<v Speaker 1>For starters, we can all read widely literature, history, science, politics.

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<v Speaker 1>We can see amazing performances. We can visit art museums

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<v Speaker 1>and other museums. The best work that has been created

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<v Speaker 1>now and in the past can inspire new work. Another

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<v Speaker 1>way to get inputs is to seek out opinions and tips.

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<v Speaker 1>This can be from podcasts, blogs, newsletters, magazines, practical nonfiction books,

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<v Speaker 1>or political commentators on TV. See what people have to

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<v Speaker 1>say that's relevant to your context. Indirect or indirect ways.

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<v Speaker 1>We can also get out into nature. For centuries, nature

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<v Speaker 1>has been seen as a source of inspiration, So become

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<v Speaker 1>a keen observer. Study any natural features that interest you.

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<v Speaker 1>Read writers like Mary Oliver, Annie Dillard, Wordsworth, or Thireaux

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<v Speaker 1>who reflected a lot on the natural world. If being

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<v Speaker 1>still in nature doesn't move you, then go for what

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<v Speaker 1>I like to call an ideal walk. When there is

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<v Speaker 1>a tricky problem you need inspiration to solve. Get moving.

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<v Speaker 1>No music, no podcasts, no audio books, just you and nature.

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<v Speaker 1>As you walk, let your mind wander something you see,

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<v Speaker 1>or a random thought that crosses your mind may spark

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<v Speaker 1>just the insight you need. Paying attention to how things

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<v Speaker 1>work is another great source of inspiration. This could mean

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<v Speaker 1>watching glass blowers or iron workers, touring a distillery or

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<v Speaker 1>a cheese factory, or even just observing the check in

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<v Speaker 1>process at your dentist's office. Are there processes that have

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<v Speaker 1>analogies to your work? People can definitely be a source

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<v Speaker 1>of in perspiration, So spend time with interesting people and

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<v Speaker 1>ask curious questions. Invite people to elaborate on topics that

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<v Speaker 1>light them up, even if you haven't thought much about them.

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<v Speaker 1>You'll get a window into content that is interesting and

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<v Speaker 1>it might spark your own thinking too. There are so

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<v Speaker 1>many places to find inspiring inputs. As part of your

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<v Speaker 1>weekly planning, it could be wise to reflect on your

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<v Speaker 1>inputs from the week before and the insights and outputs

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<v Speaker 1>they inspired. Then look ahead to the next week. What

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<v Speaker 1>is likely to inspire you over the next seven days?

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<v Speaker 1>What can you add if there isn't something already there now?

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<v Speaker 1>Obviously there is a balance to be achieved here. We

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<v Speaker 1>can't just consume inputs or we will never produce outputs.

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<v Speaker 1>We all know people who put off doing their own

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<v Speaker 1>creative work by consuming everything under the sun. But it

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<v Speaker 1>might be wise to organize your days to have a

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<v Speaker 1>little bit of both. I know successful creative people who

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<v Speaker 1>produce in the morning and then when their brains are tired,

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<v Speaker 1>they consume in the afternoon. It's a good way to

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<v Speaker 1>practice the discipline of inspiration in the meantime. This is Laura.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

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<v Speaker 1>our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfas. If you've

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<v Speaker 1>got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at

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<v Speaker 1>Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a

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<v Speaker 1>production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit

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<v Speaker 1>the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to

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