4 Keys to an Inspired Life

Have you ever found yourself inspired and moved by greatness and people who are masterful in their field of expertise? Have you found yourself mesmerized by an amazing movie where you find tears of inspiration rolling down your face at the end or a book that captivates you and captures your attention for hours as if time and the outside world no longer exists? Have you found yourself inspired by the impenetrable connectedness of a couple in love or the art at which a professional athlete performs their craft? 

I find that I am inspired by that of which I would love to have more of in my life.  As human beings, we have these internal drives for greatness and mastery, but they are usually overshadowed by our feelings of fear and inadequacy.  We allow our fears to overtake our desire for greatness.  Instead we live lives of mediocrity while attempting to reach these levels of fulfillment by vicariously living through the books, movies, and relationships around us.  These become only fleeting feelings that soon dissipate when the experience is over because we are not creating it for ourselves in our own lives.  We need to choose greatness and accept nothing less.  We need to choose mastery in all areas of our life.  We need to take the time and put in the work to become beacons of inspiration rather than just trying to absorb the light from others.

I have identified 4 key areas to begin to build an inspired life:

#1 Make the Time

You must make time to work on yourself.  If you put yourself and your personal development last, you will always run out of time.  There will always be another television show to watch, job to do, or task to perform.  Something will always get in the way or come up unless you consciously make the time for you.  You are the most important person in your life. Act like it.

#2 Practice the Art of CANI

There is no greater commitment you can make to yourself than practicing the art of  "Constant And Never-ending Improvement," or CANI.  Live by the rule of 1%.  Identify all of the key areas in your life such as social, intellectual, physical, financial, spiritual, etc and commit yourself to doing something to improve that area by 1% every single day.  If you only improve by 1% everyday, your life will transform before you know it.

#3 Circle of Influence

Surround yourself with the right people, activities, and behaviors.  You are a reflection of the people, things, and activities you surround yourself with.  Do you surround yourself with people that stimulate you or drain you? Do you spend your time doing things that inspire you or suck your energy dry? Do you do activities that make you a better person or ones that are toxic for your life? There is nothing more powerful or equally as detrimental as choosing the right or wrong circle of influence.

#4 Play on the Edge

Take risks. Go big.  Nobody ever created lives of significance and deep meaning by always playing it safe.  A boat that stays in a harbor has no risk of being damaged, but that it not what a boat is designed for.  Ever hear of somebody having a great time sitting on a boat while it is at a dock? Neither have I.  Boats are designed to explore. They are designed for adventure.  So put up your sails and enjoy the ride.  As Hellen Keller once said, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

Live. Love. Get a bit banged up. Learn. Grow. Contribute. And most of all, play big. There is no fun in playing small.  Only you can create meaning for your life.  Live your life fully and purposefully and you will never regret a day in your life. 

Love,

Matt