What’s Your Inspiration?

“You’re the meaning in my life.  You’re the inspiration.”

Lyrics from a popular Chicago song in 1984.  It’s pretty clear that someone was the songwriter’s inspiration.

As I sit here and write this week’s blog, I see my guitar sitting nearby on its stand, just begging me to get inspired to pick up and play it.  What’s it going to take?

Yesterday in church a popular Contemporary Christian song was done that was just screaming for me to go home and try playing it.  (I didn’t.)  Without fail, when I’m out somewhere that there’s live music (whether I’ve booked it or not), I usually get the itch.  (Although I never end up going home and picking up my guitar.)

It’s a funny story about how I got my guitar in the first place.  I won it in a drawing at a songwriters festival, learning of my good fortune after I’d already left town.  I’d bought the tickets for the drawing out of the trunk of the car of the person who’d closed up sales of them for the day, but made an exception to get 20 more dollars for the cause.  Clearly I was meant to have/win that guitar.

I took guitar lessons most of last year.  That was always inspiring, being on the front line with the progress that was being made.  So what will inspire me to force a hole into my schedule so I can get back to playing it on something resembling a regular basis?

By this point you’re nodding your head and saying, “Sounds just like me and my (insert here your activity that’s on hiatus).”

Let’s go searching together for what will motive me to pick up my guitar.  For you to write some new songs.  Or sign up for those lessons.  Or finish that great new website to properly promote your music.  Or to, okay, you get the point.

Sometimes it’s as easy as seeing what the competition is doing, but not viewing them as competition.  “Wow, that guy is a great guitar player!”  Instead of, “Psshh, I’ll never be able to play like him.”  There’s a mindset too that needs to be a part of it.

Another inspiration can be an occasion.  For example, if someone is getting married in, say, six months, starting to practice the guitar (or piano or other instrument) now will have you more than ready by then so you can do something special from them on their big day.

Too many people these days know someone who is in a bad (bad) medical state.  Maybe finishing that CD in time for mom to hear before she gets worse will give you a jolt of energy.

You can spend hours; you can spend days, reading blogs, books, and countless internet posts about how to get inspired.  Save your time and decide instead, “Who needs January 1st?  I’m making it New Year’s Day today!”