A wavelength of inspiration

One of my favourite people reached out recently — a friend, former employee, and occasional mentee. At a crucial point of switching from part-time to full-time entrepreneurship, they asked for advice on staying productive without the accountability of a manager’s pressure.

Often when I advise others, it doubles as a reminder to myself. I’ve been reflecting on what I said this time: an entrepreneur must stay inspired. In a state of inspiration, you don’t need follow-ups.

But how do you build a system around it? For me, reading good books has worked greatly. It’s less about the content itself and more about how they stimulate my mind.

As my mind engages with the disciplined expression of thought, my subconscious extends that wavelength across the board. Ideas surface, purpose nods in alignment, important tasks tug at me like a restless toddler. It’s hard to drop a good book and go idle. More often, I close the pages of one only to send that email I’ve been avoiding or dive into a task I’ve postponed.

I believe every entrepreneur should keep a good book and a jotter close. Grow a diverse collection of titles. I especially recommend autobiographies of inspiring leaders.

“Create a system that keeps you inspired, and it will influence everything else”, I summed it up.