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When Inspiration Whispers

posted on March 30, 2011

This morning, I drove an hour just to sit and catch up with a friend who I haven’t spent much time with in the several years we’ve known each other.

Sure, we talked shop, caught up on how our kids are doing and shared a little off the grid humor about things that have happened and things people have done.

But, out of the whole conversation there was one little aside about an exercise to plot out our dreams that stuck in my head the whole drive home. That one little comment as an aside served as an inspiration for me the rest of today.

Inspiration comes when you least expect it. You can’t plan for it. There is no recipe to follow. It decides when it wants to come to you and not the other way around.

I love being on stage. Speaking to a room full of people is a rush unlike many others I’ve felt in this life.

Those quiet moment before I take the stage are some of the most nervous and exhilarating minutes of my life. If I ever lose that feeling before taking the stage, I’ll stop speaking.

That is what made this video so powerful to me. In some far off corner of my mind I dream of speaking on a TED stage as a goal in life. I don’t have an idea worth spreading yet, but I still dream of it. Every speaker should watch this because it will inspire you. If it doesn’t, than you are not much of a speaker.

Inspiration is a quirky lady and one that visits me quite often. I try to listen when she whispers in my ear. I try not to question, plot or fight against her because when I let go and just let it happen some of the best moments of my life occur.

My conversation this morning in a little diner in Lowell and watching that video following two speakers at TED has been more than enough inspiration for me today.

What inspires you?

 

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Categories: Passions
  • Danny Cameron

    I’m inspired to see what people think of videos or films I create. I don’t mind talking to the audience, but I enjoy listening and watching an audience once I have created something. I watch their faces and that’s what inspires me to move forward on my dreams.

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Isn’t that a great feeling? Even back in the day when I made shorts it is always a crazy feeling to sit in a theater and watch people react to something you created. Talk about a scary rush!!!

  • http://brasstackthinking.com Tamsen McMahon (@tamadear)

    What a gorgeous piece of writing, C.C., both in content and in form. It’s amazing, isn’t it, how the smallest, most innocuous things can plant themselves in your head and grow.

    In an amusing piece of kismet, sitting at lunch today with one of *our* mutual friends, I landed on what my TED talk, were I to ever give one, would be.

    Good day for lunches with friends, I guess. ;)

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      When isn’t lunch with a friend a good idea? *grin*

      I have several ideas for talks, it is just a matter if they are good enough right?

      Someday….

  • http://twitter.com/dangorgone Dan Gorgone

    Can’t wait to see you on the TED stage someday dude – and I can’t wait to hear what your next goal will be after that! :)

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      You know me well enough to know I’ve got a laundry list of goals :)

  • http://twitter.com/TLCHOME Teri Conrad

    Hey CC – thanks for sharing…will dig the wax out of my ears and listen more closely!
    Sir Ken Robinson is certainly an inspiration!! I will continue to dream and look forward to the day we hear you at TED! ;)

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Yes, he is a big inspiration to me.

      Like he does, I think the education system is severely flawed and after seeing his speeches and reading his book I know I’m not alone in that thinking.

  • Rob Lane

    The eternal hope in creation

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Amen to that!

  • http://twitter.com/NoOneYouKnow Adam Zand

    Inspired! Here’s Raghava KK http://t.co/w36sm4I & Ken Robinson @ TED http://t.co/x6i9JPP

  • http://stevegarfield.com Steve Garfield

    Great video. Thanks for sharing. There are so many videos on the web, it’s really hard to decide which ones to watch. A blog post like this helps.

    Thanks.

    Great video.

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Exactly why I wanted to share it because you are right that it is VERY hard
      to watch them all.

      Also why every Friday Clarence pulls together some of his favorites for
      Digital Dads Watch which you can check out at
      http://www.digitaldads.com/digital-dads-watch/

  • http://www.redheadwriting.com The Redhead

    Today, you made me cry. In a good way. I, too, dream of one day having something to say that’s worth spreading…that is TED-worthy. So thanks for reminding me that having audacious dreams isn’t uncommon and they’re some shared by people I admire very much.

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      :) I didn’t think you ever cried.

      Seriously though I know exactly what you mean and it touches me that it moved you so much.

      • http://www.redheadwriting.com The Redhead

        I even bleed my own blood :) LKF about Erika: I’m a HUGE crier. Sobber. Don’t play the National Anthem within earshot – you’d think I was watching Marley & Me.

  • http://nohabla.shawwebspace.ca/ Francisco Pavez

    Inspiration really is a quirky lady. She seems to pop out of the most unexpected places and conversations; it feels like God himself picked up the phone to call you or wrote the words that showed you a new path. Thanks for the reminder

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      You are welcome.

  • Lionel Ancelet

    Hi C.C., thank you so much for sharing this video with us. A few weeks ago someone asked to a group I was part of what our dreams were. My answer was : one of my dreams is to speak at TED. So you can imagine how I felt watching this video (yes, tears came to my eyes). After watching it, it is not a dream anymore : it has become a goal. Hope to see you there, backstage !

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Isn’t it funny how we treat “dreams” vs. “goals” differently. It is slight a minor difference, but it makes the biggest difference in the world.

      Glad it resonated with you as much as it did with me.

      • Anonymous

        C.C. and Lionel: dreams become goals when we take a step in the direction of our dreams.

      • http://profiles.google.com/lionel.ancelet Lionel Ancelet

        Is it a coincidence ? Two days after I watched this video and posted my comment, a friend called me and asked if I could be a speaker at a local conference he is setting up…

      • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

        AWESOME!!

      • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

        AWESOME!!

      • Anonymous

        There are no “coincidences” in life:) Bravo to you Lionel!

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  • http://becky-johns.com Becky Johns

    I’m inspired by how differently two people can look at the same thing or situation and take away polar opposite feelings though the stimulus is the same. Does that make sense? I know you and I have spoken about this, but some people see a very mundane world and photographers see an incredible universe full of color, light, shadows and lines of perspective. Lonely people see relationships and feel bitterness and happy fulfilled people see relationships and appreciate love in the world. The fact that no two people can ever experience the exact same thing the exact same way is incredible.

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Indeed it is!

      I think the two speakers in that video highlight it as well. Talk about two
      different extremes. The veteran and the rookie. I think that is what made it
      so powerful as well.

      Life IS more fun when you look at it differently.

  • http://community-roundtable.com/ jimstorer

    Thanks for the inspiration this morning CC. I hadn’t seen the video and it had me tingling. Great stuff!

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Yeah when I watched it yesterday for the first time it completely stopped me
      and made me have to write this post.

      I watched it again this morning. Such a great motivator.

  • http://frankdickinson.me/ Frank Dickinson

    It’s always a joy for me when I find myself totally inspired after a conversation with a
    friend. Friends inspire me. Their trust. Their loyalty.

    Friends.

    Great post CC!
    .

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      AMEN to that!!

      It is certainly my #1 source for inspiration over and over again. Best part
      is when you don’t expect it like I didn’t yesterday.

  • Anonymous

    I’m inspired by people who have the “ah ha” moment and realize that their dreams become goals when they take a step in the direction of their dreams. These are the people I surround myself with:)

  • Genevieve Jooste

    I’ve started a regimen of watching one TED video every morning to find inspiration in ideas, thoughts and opinions that I never would have listened to or heard otherwise. Watching these videos has unlocked an inspiration in me I didn’t know existed. It has helped me write more freely, think more openly and dream bigger than I thought I could. I hadn’t seen the video you posted C.C. – thank you SO much for sharing. I’d like to share my TED video from today with you – http://www.ted.com/talks/adora_svitak.html. Enjoy!

  • http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/ ryanstephens

    I think my favorite part of this post wasn’t the following your grandiose nature of following your dreams inspiration, but the more nuanced ‘listen to inspirations whispers.’ The BIG is too abstract, but the nuanced moments — those are the nights where we follow the rabbit down the hole until 2 in the morning. That’s where we start acquiring the momentum to make the big dreams a reality. I really enjoyed this post CC!

  • http://twitter.com/svilardo2 Sal Vilardo

    I remember watching those talks about 20 times as soon as they hit the TED podcast. All I know is those two speeches were the ones which gave me the final boost of confidence to 1) leave the traditional workplace and begin my own company and 2) understand that if I did not teach my children outside of the classroom about the power of creativity then I might as well have not had kids.

    To answer your question, C.C. thinking about the world my children grow up in and what it will be like for them when they are my age…that is what inspires and drives me.

    On a side note: my little girl came home a few months back (she is in K4) and relayed a message to me about what she said when her teacher scolded her for coloring outside of the lines. She said to her teacher, “Sometimes, it is OK to color outside of the lines. It makes me unique. My daddy told me so.”

  • http://ajleon.me ajleon

    Great post, CC. Thank you for sharing this and *thank you* for sharing that TED video. :)

  • Judy White SPHR GPHR HCS

    CC – thank you for a very inspiring post! This is my first visit here as you were recommended by Chis Brogan. I look forward to future visits and wonderful writings!
    Kindly,
    Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS
    Founder, The Infusion Group™
    http://www.theinfusiongroupllc.com

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Thank you very much for swinging by and glad you liked what you found. I’ll
      be sure to thank Chris.

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