Ideas are driven by a single impulse…
“The brain might function more like an antenna — capable of sending and receiving consciousness, which holds information, love, and intelligence.”
- Lisa Miller from The Awakened Brain
"Ideas are driven by a single impulse: to be made manifest.”
"If you ignore an idea too long, it will begin to look for a more willing collaborator.”
-Elizabeth Gilbert from Big Magic
Ideas and creativity have been understood as something we receive rather than come up with on our own. “Inspiration” literally means to be breathed into and filled with a spirit or divine influence. And the Greek Muses are a classic explanation for how ideas come to us from a divine source or the universe.
I thought about this during my recent 24 mile barefoot hike on the Devil’s Path in the Catskills….
The idea to hike this path was presented to me by a friend a number of years ago. But it didn’t happen at the time — due to weather, and scheduling conflicts.
Year after year, by the time I thought of the path again, I had all sorts of excuses:
The weather’s too hot
I have other responsibilities
And unanswered questions caused me to delay:
Will I have access to water?
How will I get back to my car? (It’a a point-to-point hike rather than a loop)
Am I fit enough?
But even as years passed, the idea remained…
This year, the conditions were better aligned:
I feel more confident in my body. I did the logistical research -like finding a taxi service to get me from one end of the trail to the other. I studied the map enough to know there where the streams and lakes were for gathering water. And the weather promised to be perfectly cool for late Spring.
I still had excuses— I had slightly injured my knee and it was a bit swollen.
But there was an internal pressure — like a kettle about to boil— A certain inevitability that I couldn’t ignore… I couldn’t let another season pass without taking action.
So I committed:
The hike was beautiful and I felt a huge sense of accomplishment.
I did struggle: my knee hurt and my feet weren’t accustomed to the extra weight of my pack — making it hard to go downhill. But using what I know of the body, I adjusted my gait, found various ways to keep going, and I finished.
I have much to write about the experience itself…But what I want to focus on here is:
Ideas are meant to be made manifest.
The idea for this hike wouldn’t leave me alone. And now that I’ve accomplished it. I feel a clearing. An open space that was closed before. A larger horizon. A blank canvass- to be filled with other new ideas.
Sometimes we need to do the thing - however imperfectly - simply so that we can move on… to the next idea.
If you feel stagnant, stuck or stressed: What is it you haven’t committed to? What idea lingers in your mind — taking up too much space?
Do it. Even one small step towards it.
An excerpt by William Hutchison Murray from his book The Scottish Himalayan Expedition:
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness...
The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred..."
Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden:
"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
To summarize:
Sometimes an idea presents itself.
Notice the obstacles — the resistance. Then discern: Does the idea need more time to mature? Or am I holding myself back — avoiding commitment?
If the idea persists —Take a step — however imperfect.
Then take note of how you feel and also watch for how the universe responds.
What ideas are still lingering in your mind?
One great thing about coaching is it helps you become clear on what’s in the way of you taking bold, committed action — and then learn to apply new skills to navigate those obstacles.
If you’d like some help in taking action, consider booking a free consulation!
Here’s to clearing the canvas and painting something new,
Patrick