“That’s the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn.”
-Merlin, The Once and Future King
Inspiration feels like falling in love.
Your throat swells, hairs stick up on the back of your neck, and you see the idea everywhere. Not a day goes by that you don’t chase it.
It’s like when Hemingway called Paris a “moveable feast”. Wherever you go, so goes the idea.
A few years ago, I was low. I won’t go into detail, but here’s the summation: no money, single, and diagnosed with a concussion (I banged heads with a guy playing basketball). What did I do next? Well, I have a strange habit whenever I’m stuck in a rut: I go to the bookstore. It’s never failed to spring me back to life and refill my cup.
Here’s why.
Learning sparks inspiration. It inspires me to write, provides perspective, and introduces new habits to bring into my life. Learning compels me to venture out of my comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory. Learning gives me the feeling that I’m bettering myself — that I’m advancing towards something meaningful. And that, my friends, is hope.
Want to get into a positive mindset? Learn something new.
Go to the library. Go to a bookstore. Read about the stoics like Marcus Aurelius or Seneca. Pick up a biography. Learn how to code. Learn how to write. Learn how to cook. Chug a red bull and read that book your parents got you for Christmas.
Learn. It’s the only thing that never fails.