Inspirations

Throughout my career, I’ve been asked numerous times “who are the inspirational people in my life and where do I draw my creativity from”.

Throughout our lives, we encounter people who help shape us to become a better versions of ourselves. Their actions, achievements, character, mind frame and behaviour all contribute to inspiring us. These people can be as close in relation and proximity as a family member, or as far removed as a deceased philosopher from the other side of the world. What is key is that invisible chord that is created.

That chord, birthed from inspiration, is an opportunity to progress, evolve and to reach our potential; it forces us not only mentally but physically to take action in pursuit of greatness. It will need us to be diligent and to understand that no matter how long it takes or how difficult the struggle will be, we will see our efforts rewarded.

Someone once said “when there are no exterior voices to motivate you, the voice inside must be strong and unwavering”. And so it is paramount that we have foresight to protect us from the difficult dark days of isolation and dispair and amass a library of belief, support and light, that will illuminate the path to success.

Story telling is an age old way of passing on wisdom. Learning of others’ journeys and paying witness to their emotional and physical changes help the protection and perseverance of our own pursuit. These discoveries lie everywhere; in the content of biographies, poems, music, film, theatre and television. Equally important are the successes and failings of others’ journeys for they too heed the same wisdom.

Numerous times I have played the same song on repeat, read the same chapter,  paragraph or sentence over and over. I have memorised quotes and watched video footage on loop until it replays in my head clearer than it did on the screen. I have learnt the value of epistemology and the companionship of its power and I cannot advocate more that we are a product of who we surround ourselves by.

Below is a sample list of source material I revert back to time and time again. Some I dip into once or twice a year, whilst others have become a part of my daily ritual. What is unanimous though is the power they harness. I have refrained from mentioning all the wonderful plays I have seen in theatre, the thought provoking TV shows and inspirational films, not to mention the actors, directors and writers responsible for them; that list will always be endless.

Max Ehrmann  (“A Prayer” and “Desiderata”)

Charles Bukowski  (“Roll the dice”) 

Ayn Rand  (“The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged”)

Kahlil Gibran (“The Prophet”)

Brendon Burchard (“The Motivation Manifesto”)

Marcus Aurelius (“Meditations”)

Viktor Frankl (“Man’s Search for Meaning”)

Paulo Coelho (“The Alchemist”) 

Plato (especially “Symposium”)

Mihaly csikszentmihalyi (“Flow”)

Ryan Holiday (“Ego is the Enemy”)

Eric Thomas (“The Secret to Success”)

Les Brown (“Live your dreams: Say Yes to Life”)

Tim Ferriss (“Tools of Titans”)

Angela Duckworth (“Grit”)

David Goggins (“Can’t Hurt Me”)

Arnold Schwarzenegger (“The Education of a Bodybuilder”)

Napoleon Hill (“Think and Grow Rich”)

Wim Hoff (“The Way Of The Iceman”)

Simon Sinek (“Start with why”)

Tara Brach (“Radical Compassion”)

Ben Greenfield (“Boundless”)

Stephen Peters (“The Chimp Paradox”)

Max Lugavere (“Genius Foods”)

Alan Lightman (“Einstein Dreams”)

Music by: Fabrizo Paterlini /  Mark Petrie / John Hopkins /Max Richter / Phillip Glass / Craig Armstrong / Steven Price/ John Tavener /Hans Zimmer /