where I find inspiration

20 Jan, 2010 • posts i've written • 5 comments

Yesterday I got a great blog post request from long-time internet friend, Erica Minton.

Would you consider a post on interesting sources for your strategy ideas? Places you’ve found inspiration or insight to fuel your brain?

Indeed!

First off, let me share my internet reading habits. After my recent interview with Grant, I decided trying to read 200-300 blogs a day was a bit insane, after all. So I culled my Reader down to my absolute, can’t live without, need these everyday, might trade sexual favors for internet time, faves – around 120 blogs among 12 categories.

Just for you, I’ve exported my Google Reader subscriptions as an OPML feed if you want to grab it and use it for your self. Just open a Google Reader account and import the feed in your settings to get started.

If you like some wisdom with your crowd, I worked to create a web resource to collect what a bunch of us strategy-minded people are sharing inside Google Reader – it’s called Planner Reads. It’s a bit wonky from time to time (it’s pre-alpha, consider it ‘zygote’), but I find clicking on Today & Yesterday to be a good skim for gold. Also, try the search field for a relevant topic – it’s a great way to grab a bunch of interesting examples to riff on.

Of course, I sometimes rummage around my network in Delicious for the good stuff my friends are sharing. Oh and there’s the 3k plus people I’ve connected myself with across Twitter, Facebook, and the like that consistently share amazing things with me. I have an amazing social graph of people that believe there’s more to be had from sharing than hoarding. In other words, everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned from the internet – including that when Pedobear shows up for your birthday, just say no to the complimentary pony ride.

What if it’s 1am and I’m hard-pressed for a single independent thought? Well, of course, I run off to find more intelligent minds to rip-off or disagree with, and I usually start with Salon, Slate, or The Atlantic.

But what about inspiration in real life – you know, that place like Twitter but where everyone fails to repeat you constantly verbatim? Facebook except where the ‘hide’ function involves six feet of rope, a shovel, and a possible 25 to life sentence?

I shower. Seriously. My best ideas come during this amazing zen state when I stand under the shower head, arms crossed, and eyes closed. Most people have a place like that. Go find it. I’d love to have an office under a shower. But I’m afraid I’d show up prune-y for all of my meetings.

I love museums. When I first moved to New York I walked to a museum every weekend and I filled a notebook with ideas and inspiration. This exhibit from MoMA is still worming its way around my brain. Museums are built here to ensure we have access to moments of deep reflection amidst the most chaotic city on earth. You can’t be a sane citizen of Manhattan without visiting museums. It’s true.

But most of all, if you want inspiration, find inspiring people. I get to work with some amazingly brilliant and curious people who at the drop of a hat will follow me into a room and debate an idea. That’s a sweet gig and I don’t tell my co-workers enough how much I respect their thinking.

And if you really want inspiration, be willing to cut out the uninspiring people. A challenging person is not necessarily an inspiring person (but an inspiring person should challenge your ideas). Before you excise someone from your social network, remember, inspiration comes from listening and watching while removing your filters. All that’s gold doesn’t always glitter.

I hope this post helps you find some inspiration. That is the reason I started this blog to begin with – and I just realized I passed a year and a half posting here after the New Year and I’m proud of the little home I’ve built.

Now, would you do me two favors?

Would you leave me a comment with an interesting question or thought to ponder in a new blog post like Erica did?

And will you share my blog with people you know that might dig it? I promise that if what consumes me ever gets even an ounce of popular, I’ll find somehow to work even harder.