Henry David Thoreau once wrote, perhaps to himself, “Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.”
When inspiration strikes, what do you do first?
Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic, believes that ideas are energetic life-forms, driven by a single impulse: to be made manifest.
She writes,
“When an idea thinks it has found somebody—say, you—who might be able to bring it into the world, the idea will pay you a visit. It will try to get your attention. The idea will try to wave you down (perhaps for a few months; perhaps even for a few years), but when it finally realizes that you’re oblivious to its message, it will move on to someone else.”
Maybe you believe ideas are metaphysical organisms, jumping from human to human like a speed dating round, hoping to find the perfect match. Maybe, you think it’s just something you ate. What really matters is this: When you and your big idea first make contact, take action.
Write down a few notes in your phone. Or, at the very least, stop and give your idea a few minutes of your full focus.
The idea could be the answer to what’s been plaguing your relationships. It could be a firey feeling in your gut that says, “Go for it. It’s worth the risk.” It could be a million dollar business idea.
Inspiration isn’t something to bookmark for later. Don’t let your ideas hang around the logical part of the brain where it will be molested down into something ordinary.
It’s by capturing our fire when it’s still hot that allows other people to find warmth around our flame.
