This is real simple. Maybe too simple.
It all comes down to a quote - perhaps one that you've latched onto lately. You may have even written it down somewhere so you can regularly bump into it.
I'd wager that everybody has a go-to thought or one-liner that feels redirective, powerful and sobering. We read them and are inspired to take action immediately.
Culturally speaking, it's no longer limited to words alone. Now you can find graphic after graphic and meme after meme to grab hold of and recycle into your own social media feed.
This is all fine and dandy for intellectual health, but I'd offer that we might want to call out what these inspirational concepts are, lest we mistake them for what they aren't.
- Inspirational quotes are like a guardrail on a highway. When you start to drift, it can remind you that there are chasms you can plow into if you aren't careful and intentional. You also need to keep a safe distance from them, too. Sometimes even a guardrail can cause an accident (just like some inspirational quotes can mislead you into ideas that look helpful but actually are counterproductive in the long-run).
Inspirational quotes are not the fuel we need for the actual journey. That has to come from real power that fuels our lives beyond our own resources. You might think that is willpower, but I'd offer than we'll eventually run out of that. It's possible you've experienced that at some point in your life when your tank went from full to fumes to empty. Remember then how no inspirational thought alone was going to help you positive-think your way out of it?
Specifically, what if the best way to improve your ability to think is to spend time thinking?
"About what?" you may ask.
"Yes," I would reply. "Exactly."
What I'm getting at is you may get more mileage out of an original thought you've arrived at with conviction than an inspirational quote you reshared online. One person said it this way:
“It’s only by concentrating, sticking to the question, being patient, letting all the parts of my mind come into play, that I arrive at an original idea. By giving my brain a chance to make associations, draw connections, take me by surprise” — William Deresiewicz
Just make sure what you land on is actually solid. My favorite checklist for this is Philippians 4:8:
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Maybe the next thought you're looking for is already in you.
Now THAT'S a thought!
P.S. If you're interested in something bold, here's the link to a message I shared (and the full service - the message is at the end): [ CLICK HERE ]
