Fill Up Your Inspiration Tank (The Alchemist Review)

It’s easy to forget how forgetful we are.

We have days or moments of clarity. When we can see a vision for our future. It’s working on a book that you’ve put off. Or re-designing your blog. Or making plans with friends more often.

In these moments of clarity the path to what we want looks clear. We can anticipate obstacles, but from our vantage point, they aren’t an imposing. We feel inspired, and we feel committed.

Then we go back to the grind. And slowly but surely this inspiration dwindles. The motivation you once had is sapped by daily annoyances. And our vision for the future becomes blurry. Until one day, maybe the next weekend, maybe your next vacation, you once again have a moment of clarity. You say to yourself, “how did I forget?” What happened that took me so off course.

We forget how forgetful we are. So we don’t plan to forget. We don’t plan for our inspiration going away; we don’t plan for our gratitude going away. So when it does go away, we don’t notice.

When you remember that you will forget, you set your life up in a way that you reminded to be inspired. You listen to inspirational audiobooks. You read inspirational biographies; you watch depressing movies to remind yourself to be grateful. You write down a few things you are grateful for every day.

You know that you can run out up inspiration, so you keep filling your tank.

I just finished re-reading The Alchemist. There may be some metaphysical ideas I don’t agree with in the book, but for me this book is fuel. And The Alchemist is premium grade.

When you read it, you put away your urge to criticism and open yourself up to the metaphor. You use it as fuel. And there aren’t many books that can fill your inspiration tank as quickly as The Alchemist.

The story of a boy committed to achieving his purpose. Overcoming obstacles. Accepting what is out of his control, but never giving up on his purpose. Each time you read the book, you feel inspired. You feel committed to follow the right path, not the easy path. This book will fill your inspiration tank, but just remember to fill it again soon, before it gets empty again.