All of us draw inspiration from somewhere—an HGTV show, a museum, a 12-foot putt, a family photo or even the perfectly cooked piece of fresh fish. The fact is, whether we know it or not, our environments shape the way we create, or even the reason why we create.
Not all of us have our sensors up all the time. We don’t always sense or know when something is inspiring. But those of us who rely on inspirational moments for our jobs are dependent on the extravagant artistry of the world around us, because that’s what makes us tick creatively. So we thought we’d create a forum here that allows us to share some of those inspiring moments with you.
In turn, we hope you’ll share some inspiring moments, as well. How you’ve help your great cause succeed—or maybe just something that simply made you smile (or cry, or reflect…) today.
We’ve gotten the ball rolling. But there are thousands of other things that are inspirational: books, magazines, Web sites. These are just a few. We hope you’ll add your own.
Beyond Buzz, Lois Kelly
We’re all talking about word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) like it’s a phenomenon that started last year. Acknowledging the power of technology to connect people and communities more substantially, Lois Kelly gives new (and better) perspective on the significance of good buzz. Significant is the operative word here in that Kelly addresses the need for conversations of meaning and then prescribes strategies for generating those conversations. Good strategies. Simple. Common-sensical. With lists and charts. She gives an outline for conducting a self-checkup and offers practical steps to good conversations about your service or product. The case study examples were helpful, but I have to admit to some skimming over a few in parts that seemed to get a little boggy. But Kelly is really on track. I really lit up throughout the read and especially around page 170. I don’t know if I loved this book because it strongly affirms our belief in coherence or because it’s just so smart…oh wait, those are the same thing. Get this book and read it now. You need it.
– Rick Bailey
Hook, James Wright
I could teach an entire poetry class based on the mastery of the myriad poetic devices that Wright utilizes in this single poem. Like every great poet, Wright is economic with his words, cutting and whittling away until only the image and the story that it tells remains. This poem is also a great example of how the break of a line can add weight to words, slow down the rhythm of a poem, and as a result, emphasize a moment in time. Take this stanza for example, in which Wright uses line breaks to detail the concentration it takes for an old Sioux man to hand the speaker of the poem loose change with a prosthetic hook:
Did you ever feel a man hold
Sixty-five cents
In a hook
And place it
Gently
In your freezing hand?
This stanza also demonstrates how changing one word can affect the meaning of the entire poem. Rather than asking the reader if they have ever seen a man hold sixty-five cents in a hook, Wright asks if we’ve ever felt a man hold sixty-five cents in a hook. The gesture becomes more tactile, and as a result, humanizes the hook and engages the reader more fully in this single moment between two strangers.
On a side note, is it intentional that this stanza looks like a hook on the page? I like to think it is.
Hawaiian lava
Preceding this photo was a 3-mile hike over the lava fields of The Big Island of Hawaii…hot, uneven and sometimes treacherous. We had heard that once we reached the end of the hike, we might be able to see active, molten lava…but no guarantee. It was one of those hikes where I kept thinking, “This had better be worth it. This had better be worth it. This had better be worth it.”
It was worth it.
The lava flows were like nothing I had ever seen in my life. I could have sat and watched this scene all day…the gentle ooze of solid rock, the surprising breaks where new ribbons would emerge. I think the power of the scene, for me, rested in the astounding realization that nothing in this life—not even the most stable and solid of earthly elements beneath our feet—is at rest. We are always and already changing, existing in a constant state of flux. And whatever small measure of stability or control that we feel is momentary and fleeting. This takes my breath away every time I think about it.
An organized chart of my inspiration
Click here to see an Excel sheet with controller Jen Lowe's orderly inspiration.
The Song of the Lark, Jules Breton
Growing up in Chicago I had the opportunity to visit some of the world’s greatest museums – which included frequent visits to The Art Institute of Chicago. There are incredible works of art there, but one always caught my attention: The Song of the Lark by Jules Adolphe Breton. I didn’t realize what it was about the painting that fascinated me until college. In the background of the painting, there is an orange sun setting. When you take a macro look at the painting, the size of the sun is pretty insignificant. But, if you were to take it out, the painting wouldn’t be as effective in portraying the sadness on this woman’s face. It inspires me to know that one small, seemingly insignificant detail can convey an idea as grand as sadness.
– Alex Jimenez
