Inspiration is Perishable

Most people have a moment of inspiration, but they don’t act.

They want to feel ready, confident, and motivated. But inspiration doesn’t last. It fades as quickly as it arrives. The people who make real progress understand that action has to come first.

I was reminded of that recently during a car trip. I was driving from Charlotte to Mooresville, about an hour away. Early in the ride, I was inspired to create something from a coaching call I had right before I left. I had a decision to make: act on the inspiration (which wouldn’t be easy while driving) or let it pass.

In that moment, I remembered that inspiration is perishable. If I didn’t act, it would vanish. So I set the Tesla on full self-driving and started brainstorming with AI, creating drafts during the drive. In fact, the draft of those notes became this Optimistic Outlook.

What I now know is that the best leaders and highest performers act when the inspiration is high. They have a strong bias for action.

Take Tiffany, one of the high performers and best leaders I coach, who has taken a bias for action to the next level. When she sees an opportunity or senses a problem, she moves quickly. No hesitation. No overthinking. Her business’s success has followed.

Then there’s Brian, another leader I coach. He used to delay having hard conversations, sometimes waiting weeks and letting issues grow. Now, he has them within 24 hours. He told me, “It’s never easy, but it’s always better.”

Tiffany and Brian are living proof that action keeps inspiration alive. Delay kills it. They both inspire me to have a bias for action.

So if you feel inspired right now, do something in the next ten minutes. Send the message. Schedule the meeting. Take the first step.

But here’s the tricky part for you, me, Tiffany, and Brian. Just because you choose to have a bias for action today doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed tomorrow. It’s a choice required daily.

P.S. I am in Chattanooga, TN today delivering The Teamwork Advantage keynote to a great group at TVA. Let’s hope it’s inspirational and inspires a bias for action!

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