You’re inspired. There’s a feeling, a spark, or a shift in perspective. It’s often emotional, intuitive, and imaginative. Inspiration gives you energy or clarity, but in and of itself, it doesn’t necessarily create change.
We often stop at inspiration – great ideas, renewed hope, vivid envisioning – but nothing changes until inspiration is translated into behavior. Moving from inspiration to inspirACTION … not just feeling it but embodying it.
Inspiration is the why.
Action is the how.
Inspired action is when the why fuels the how.
As a facilitator of training programs, I often see people leave the room inspired. To help, we encourage SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals as a place to start. I realized early on that being SMART wasn’t enough. You need to make your goals REAL SMART.
What is a REAL goal? It’s the difference between the knowing and the doing. It is the why. It is Realistic, Enticing, Attainable, and Leverageable. It is a goal that you care about, that excites you, that is within reach and sets you up for more … more of what you want not necessarily what others want for you.
Are you ready to get REAL? Below are some steps and questions to get you started.
Clarify Your Intention: What is the inspiration or idea that’s calling for your attention right now? Why does this matter to you? What would be meaningfully different if you acted on it?
Notice Inner Cues: What feelings, nudges, or sparks have you experienced around this idea? Where in your body do you feel certainty, energy, curiosity, or resonance? Does the idea feel aligned, exciting, or quietly “right”?
Identify Small, Immediate Steps: What is one tiny step you could take in the next 24 hours? What would be the simplest, easiest version of action you can begin with? What step feels natural—not forced?
Lower the Stakes: How could you experiment with this idea in a low‑risk way? What “safe room” or small audience can help you test or explore it? What would progress – not perfection – look like?
Reconnect to Your “Why”: When motivation dips, what truth or purpose do you want to return to? Who benefits – yourself or others – when you follow through? What impact do you hope this action creates?
Stay Open and Receptive: What practices help you hear your own guidance (journaling, quiet thinking, walking, stillness)? What signs, ideas, or intuitive hits have surfaced recently? What might you explore if you trusted those signals?
Build Support + Accountability: Who could you partner with to deepen accountability? Who can reflect the truth back to you when you hesitate? What kind of structure would support consistent inspired action?
When inspiration becomes action, possibility becomes momentum. Perhaps it’s time to let your intentions guide you, your inner cues steady you, and your small, courageous steps carry you forward. Progress isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about showing up with purpose. Trust that each REAL step you take is building the life, the work, and the impact you’re meant to create.
