Last year, on my 2024 vision board, I pinned a cut out of a quote that read: “inspired action comes from the spirit, not from thinking, not from the ego.” This quote stood out to me among other options for that year because I found myself in this season where I really wanted to tune into my intuition. For those who find no value in tapping into their spirituality will view this intention as risky. Why build a life based on something that isn’t concrete, logical? The only answer I can provide to that question is the simple fact that building my life by ego hasn’t gotten me anywhere near where I want to be. If anything, it caused burnout and an irritability toward pursuing goals. When I was led by ego, I did many things for show and the need for validation. It wasn’t until I started to lose that spark within me (that spark that actually made me excited for my future and the journey to manifesting goals), that I decided something needed to change. So, I made it my mission to integrate inspired action into my daily routine.
What is Inspired Action?
As the name suggests, “inspired action” is action that is sparked by inspiration. I particularly like the way Deepak Chopra framed the word “inspiration.” Inspiration, he points out, is “in spirit”. So to be inspired or to inspire is to infuse your spirit or to infuse another spirit with a unique type of energy.
To better understand inspired action is to compare it with its opposite, ego-drive action. The difference between ego-driven action and inspired-action is the intention. Intent is the basis for why you do something. For example, when I post to my Instagram, I pause and ask myself what is the intent behind it. Am I posting to get that dopamine hit and to satisfy a part of myself seeking attention and approval? Or am I posting because I genuinely want to share something of value with the people who follow me? Ego says post for likes; inspiration says post to be of service to others in a way that is alignment.
Taking inspired action doesn’t come with a tried-and-true manual because it can look and feel different from person to person. That’s why it’s important to become a student of self and learn what works and resonates with you.
Of course, I would be lying if I said that I always take inspired action. I’m human. Sometimes I still operate from the ego, but I try to make it a priority to take inspired action more often than I take ego-driven action. And unlike many things, taking inspired action doesn’t come with a tried-and-true manual because it can look and feel different from person to person. That’s why it’s important to become a student of self and learn what works and resonates with you.
How to Take Inspired Action?
Like with any skill, learning what is inspired-driven action and ego-driven action takes practice. If you put in the time to tune in with yourself and learn the difference between the chattering voices in your mind (which is usually a culmination of societal messaging, anxiety, and the like) and that calm, quiet voice (which usually comes from spirit and intuition), then you’ll eventually learn how to spot when actions are driven by inspiration or by ego.
Inspired action can also happen spontaneously. Oftentimes, it originates with an idea or curiosity. Then you may feel a tug toward pursuing that curiosity or idea. Once you have this pull, it’s up to you whether or not you want to see where it’s going to guide you. I’ve found that when I followed my curiosities or pursued certain ideas (even if fear was telling me not to), inspired action led me to some pretty cool places — figuratively and literally.
If you enjoyed this blog post, let me know in the comments! Have you ever heard of “inspired action” before this post?
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