How do you become inspired? How do you get the idea to write your big book? How do you keep ideas coming? Vulnerability appears to be one of the keys.
Frida recently wrote an awesome article about becoming more creative:
(…) You have to let go of barriers of familiarity in order to create something new. Also, you need to take away your own habit of blocking yourself from creative thinking. Believing that “I’m not creative” or “I cannot think outside the box” might actually be the only real reason why you aren’t creative already. (…)
I’d like to further her argument by showing you that inspiration comes from practising vulnerability and openness.
Becoming more inspired through vulnerability
To get inspiration, we have to face the world outside ourselves. We have to practice vulnerability and we need to take steps towards our fascinations we wouldn’t normally dare to do.
In the pursuit of inspiration, think about what the bigger things you idealize are. What inspires you in others that you wish you had more of in yourself? These things are your creative fuel. They represent how you can find ideas and energy to propel you in directions you normally wouldn’t go.
An INFP finds inspiration in Investigation (EN) and Messages (FJ). An ENFJ finds inspiration in Philosophy (IN) and Interpretation (FP). These tunes are outside the ENFJ’s normal behaviour and they are like foreign notes on a piano, sounds that can inspire you to fall into a flow. Generally, the goal of going outside your comfort zone isn’t to change your behaviour, it’s to face the world as you are. You have to go out and actively practice vulnerability, being yourself in a strange or slightly uncomfortable space. Sounds difficult, right?
The comfort zone & the inspiration for different types
You meet the muse when you are yourself bravely in front of your muse or people that inspire you. When you go out and face worlds that you normally wouldn’t enter, but worlds that interest you nonetheless.
- INFJs are in the comfort zone when they explore different theories and explore how their values fit together into a bigger system. They go outside the comfort zone when they investigate and explore their ideas together with others and expose themselves to others’ feedback and thoughts.
- ENTPs are in the comfort zone when they investigate different patterns and try out different ideas. They may also study the codes and the different rules and strategies others have. They go outside the comfort zone when they let themselves be graded by a system or a higher standard of excellence, or when they explore how their ideas fit with a bigger concept or vision.
- The ISTJ goes outside their comfort zone when they allow others to question their strategies and rules. For example, how efficient do other people think your game plan is? How flexible is your system? This can all contribute to growth for you, if you let it.
- The ESFPs go outside their comfort zone when they let others influence them and their feelings and values. They also expose themselves by showing themselves and how they look and act, and allow for others to record them on camera or for others to write about them.
The muse for an INTJ is an ENTP, and for an ENTP, it’s an INTJ. The muse for an ENFP is an INFJ, and for an INFJ, it is an ENFP.
Here’s your type’s muse:
ISTJ ↔ ESTP
ISFJ ↔ ESFP
ESTJ ↔ ISTP
ESFJ ↔ ISFP
ENTP ↔ INTJ
ENFP ↔ INFJ
INFP ↔ ENFJ
INTP ↔ ENTJ
Freedom from blocks
In a state of flow, you are freed from normal blocks and stagnant patterns. Your energy and passion hits its peak. As long as they remain high enough, you will be able to effortlessly deal with any stress or anxiety that comes up.
Remember that in times when you explore your inspiration outside your comfort zone, you are going to be exposed to challenges and important tests. Sometimes, fears and negative beliefs you have will surface, and then, you have to find a healthy way to respond to these fears. Often, the goal of these fears are to shake you up, and to test your resolve, and it’s only by learning to overcome them that you can grow to the next level.
Yes, when you put yourself out there, you are going to get haters, critics, and people who are going to want to put you down. And most of all, you’re going to have to face your own fear of these people. But good things can come to those who are brave. If you want to learn more, also consider looking at my video.
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