Paging Motivation and Inspiration: There Are Times When You Don’t Want to Ride
Motivation and inspiration are the first two who leave a party. At first, the party felt alive. You could all but feel its heartbeat through the throbbing music, through the electric air. When motivation and inspiration leave, the flicker of excitement begins to dim and the electricity slowly ceases to buzz. Both are replaced by an empty feeling which feels abnormal.
For anyone who is passionate about anything, lack of inspiration and motivation can be devastating. No longer is your flame lit, leading you through darkness into, ultimately, success. No longer are your eyes bright with the excitement inspiration brings. Neither inspiration nor motivation are tied to one another, but they do love to hold hands and be present as a pair.
As a writer, I think it’s normal to struggle with inspiration. Motivation, too. There are times when it’s easy to celebrate in the abundance of ideas, recklessly thinking you’ll have some to spare once the flight of inspiration is over. There are times when it’s easy to sit at the computer, and write endlessly. These times can be fleeting.
What do you do when your muse has taken a vacation? I’m left with my fingers on the keys of my keyboard without letters flowing. Often, this leads me to a dark place where I worry I won’t actually put letters together, string words along, and write.
For anyone passionate about anything, it’s likely you feel your fire waning sometimes. There are times when you don’t want to ride. Sometimes, simply putting your foot in the stirrup feels like too much. What’s the point?
When you are left alone to your own devices without the help of a muse, it’s your job to go find one. For me, this translates to endless reading. An author or writer somewhere else in time has the words I need to hear to remind me why I love my work, why I’m passionate about my writing. I read until I am filled with words again. I read until the point where I am so full of words I simply must put them on paper.
In dire search of motivation and inspiration, find what lights your fire. You may only need a catalyst to encourage the passion to ignite again. Find videos of your favorite rider, and watch how they ride to remind yourself there’s a reason you do what you do. When in doubt, try them on for size. Dress to the nines and watch a local Grand Prix to inspire you to climb on your horse.
A good muse is hard to find, Hemmingway is right, but the magic you feel time and time again makes the hunt for inspiration and motivation worthwhile.