My journey as an artist, educator, entrepreneur, and executive leadership coach has shaped and informed my desire and passion to learn all I can about inspiration and the effects of its application. I have worked with clients, heard their stories, and experienced the powerful results of living inspirationally with a heightened sense of intentionality and impact.
As familiar as we tend to be with the idea of inspiration and its influence on our lives until recently there was very little research done on the concept. Current research has yielded results supporting the importance of inspiration, identifying key components of inspiration, and raising awareness of the concept in leadership and organizational spheres. The art and science of inspiration are finally explored together. A necessary tension exists, balancing known and unknown, axiom and enigma, each embraced in support of the other. These invaluable results confirm what for centuries we have merely assumed: inspiration matters.
The most magnificent butterfly made its way through my outdoor workspace, gliding effortlessly on wings of saffron, ink, and ivory. Attention is drawn, and a sense of carefree wonderment is evoked. Even for a moment, my gaze lifted to follow the dancing path, my mind anticipating the journey of the creature. I simultaneously associate it with my own more complex course. Inspiration! It cannot be manufactured. The inspiration, the impetus, the jumping-off point—no one controls that but God Himself. We cannot be assured of when it will show up or if it will show up at all. But its elusiveness does not deter us from seeking its presence. On the contrary, the very nature of inspiration, being difficult to find or achieve, increases its value.
Lori Riner 