Inspiration: What Inspires the Anchorlight Team?
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and INSPIRATION, I don’t think you can go wrong.” -Ella Fitzgerald
As business owners and employees, we want to experience success. On this path to achievement, we want nothing more than a straight and narrow route upward and onward. However, the reality of the situation is that running and working in a business is less like a rocket launch, and more like the Maverick roller coaster at the Cedar Point amusement park, which is described as “packed with twists, corkscrews, launches, tunnels, and plenty of airtime.”
This can be intimidating. It can give us butterflies or make us scream. It can make us want to get off before the next twist or turn. It can even make us refuse to get on the next ride. But this is where, in truth, we need to take a deep breath (or three), remember why we love what we are doing, and find inspiration to move forward.
Anchorlight Creative is no stranger to these feelings. While we wish we could give you a pamphlet with exactly what to do and how to overcome these emotions, the things we love about what we do differ from team member to team member, and each one of us finds fluid inspiration in different things.
So instead of giving you a detailed handbook, we are hoping to share some things that we love about what we do and various things that have given us the inspiration and motivation to achieve our goals and continue to set new ones. Our hope is that you can either relate or by reading our thoughts will be able to pinpoint your own passions and inspirations so that the next time you face a rocky road in your business, you have something tangible to help inspire you to keep going.
Sabrina
Ever since I was little, I could be found with a book in my hand. Staying up too late with one or whiling away an entire weekend with one I have waited SO LONG for, like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. When I need to break free of a funk or just gather some fresh ideas, I love to read books and learn from others that are really brilliant at whatever they do–and most things have nothing to do with business. At any given time I can be found reading an autobiography from President Obama, a science novel from Mary Roach, a mystery from Chris Bohjalian, a memoir from Mary Laura Philpott or Dani Shapiro or a marketing book from Seth Godin. I like to rotate fiction and non-fiction and I always have about 10 books checked out of the library at any given time. If all else fails? A walk in the woods or a run always works as my fail-safe backup plan.
We help you reach those next steps with ease and with the creative professionals who understand your unique business, challenges, and strengths – helping you every step of the way.
Annie
Whenever I need a boost, I always look toward the outdoors. Stepping away from my computer and getting in nature helps to clear my head and refocus my energy. Being an anxious person, sometimes I can get lost in the weeds of a single thought. Refocusing my mind and energy outward helps to bring me back to the present and inspire the next big idea.
Cora
My inspiration stems from the idea that without effort, there is no momentum - and without momentum there is no progress. Even if the progress is minuscule, every little bit of effort counts towards that big goal. Whether that goal is getting through that mountain of paperwork at your job, starting something that is brand new, or re-learning how to walk in my case. There are times in life where it seems like a continuous pendulum of ups and downs, and can feel so overwhelming when you don’t know what or how to start. When I was in the hospital re-learning how to walk, I will never forget the words my therapist spoke; “just focus on the step in front of you and not on the entire staircase.” She was figuratively speaking in my case, but it resonated with me and has stayed with me ever since. So when I am feeling overwhelmed, I just make a list of all of the little steps I need to take to reach my big goal. Little by little as each step is crossed off, the big goal doesn’t seem so overwhelming and I know that I can do it.
Lana
A constant in my life has been that I am eager to learn. I love to learn about almost anything, as much as I can. I enjoy reading articles and books about people, places, and historical events. I travel to learn about the history and culture of places I haven’t explored yet. Knowing that I have the capacity and ability to learn endlessly is a great inspiration to me, and helps me re-frame tasks or experiences that might seem difficult as learning experiences.
Eleanor
I just love uncovering the thing and the process that’s gets us there!! I like the process of divining what will be—it’s like I’m always in the edge of my seat, even when I’m at the design helm! I love solving the problem, and doing it in a way that’s functional and does it’s job, but is also lovely and engaging and memorable. Art with a job to do, and that’s nice on the eyes. And I think I enjoy the larger process, the winding path there, the little tweaks, and the collaboration it takes to get the job done. I love the back and forth, the teamwork, all the perspectives—it always yields a stronger result and invites investment and pride in the process and results from all parties.
Dana
As a person with a never-ending to-do list, I find inspiration in the slower moments, where my brain is able to pause overwhelming thoughts of the future and focus on the present moment. And nothing enables that more than the lake. Whether it’s a cold dip in the middle of a northern Michigan winter or a sunset conversation on a dock, it’s where the world gets quiet and thoughts, creativity, and ideas flourish.
Jaimie
Having previously been a teacher, I am used to, and thrive in an environment that is always changing, and that is focused on improving the lives of others. This is both what I love about my job and what gives me inspiration. I absolutely love that ALC works with clients from so many different realms and that no project is the same. Despite any challenges faced, our company is ultimately focused on creating relationships with our clients and helping them improve their business in some way. Watching their success is exhilarating!
Odalys
Ambitious people often are seen as eager or hungry to be better than everyone else, but when looking at it from the right context, you can see that behind every ambitious person there is a story that lit a fire in them not to be better than everyone else, but to be better than their past. I get inspired and energized thinking about my future, about reaching goals, finding new dreams, working towards a life that was better than I could’ve ever imagined growing up as an impoverished first-generation Latina. The ability to feel hope and drive even in the worst of situations is a true gift that will keep consistently giving so long as I appreciate that where I have been has shaped where I’m going, that place being ALL THE WAY.
Jen
Whenever I feel stuck and am looking for inspiration, I like to try something new! Whether it’s walking an unexplored path around the neighborhood, embracing a new hobby, grabbing a new author to read, or finally making that recipe I’ve been meaning to try – when I try something new my focus shifts. My brain makes new connections. I lose myself in the process and, somehow, when I return to the problem at hand the fresh ideas can flow.
