I had a whole other post drafted for this week.
But then I got on a plane to London.
I lived here for many years in my 30s. It was the first big city I ever called home, the place where I built some of my closest friendships, and where I began to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. In many ways, I grew up here.
It’s been years since I left.
Coming back feels like slipping on a pair of old, well-worn shoes—molded to my feet, comfortable in all the right places. But also, I’m seeing it with fresh eyes.
Yesterday, I was riding the Tube, marveling at the sheer scale of it. If you’ve traveled it, you know: it’s vast, intricate, and a work of art. A sprawling 250-mile system, much of it built by hand, starting in 1863.
At one point, we passed a station where I could see the original brickwork. I found myself thinking about the literal laying of it.
How long did it take to go from idea to execution to expansion?
How many people played a part?
How many bricks were laid—one at a time—before it became what it is today?
Right now, I’m in the middle of building something too. A business. A body of work. A new life.
And some days (and by some I mean many), it feels like I’m still at the early brick-laying stage—so far from the vision I hold.
But sitting on that train, watching the city rush past, I remembered something:
The only way to build something beautiful is brick-by-brick.
There are no shortcuts.
But that's a feature, not a bug.
Because as you lay the bricks, your vision unfolds in ways you couldn't anticipate.
What I've found in London—besides my good friends, some excellent food (hit me up for recs), and miles of parks—is inspiration.
A reframe of where I'm currently standing.
Curiosity about what my business needs and where I could take it next.
New bricks I hadn't seen before.
And that's my point this week.
Inspiration isn’t a detour from the path. It is the path.
And yet—when we’re building something new (a business, a next chapter, a new life after a big change, a new era for a team or a business)—inspiration is easily dismissed as frivolous
(I get it—I even second-guessed this trip. Could I really take the time away from my business?)
We think we’re saving time by skipping inspiration.
But really, we’re stalling.
Because a good transport system—or a new chapter of life or business—rarely (ok, never) emerges from a straight line.
In every creative project I worked on at IDEO, we always—always—fueled it with inspiration (and a liminal space is a creative space).
Here’s a wildly incomplete list of how we sought it (and why):
🎤 Sang karaoke — to explore vulnerability when designing for a marginalized group
⛴️ Ferried to a remote island — to rethink what flourishing looks like at work
🕶️ Wandered around a city blindfolded (with a guide) — to consider how to build intuitive navigation into a digital product
🧠 Spoke with an expert in gang violence — to consider how healthcare workers can better support cancer patients
And with every client I work with, I encourage the same.
It doesn’t matter whether your creative project—or your liminal space—is personal or professional.
You still need inspiration to move it forward.
So here’s your prompt for the week:
🧱 What are you creatively building right now?
(A new chapter for yourself? Your family? Your business?) Try this:
💡 Ask yourself: What might help me see this in a different light?
🌱 Maybe you already have a clear idea.
🌀 Or maybe you just need a change of scenery—or a spark of curiosity.
Maybe it’s hopping a flight to London (say hi if it is).
Maybe it’s singing karaoke.
Maybe it’s going two hours in any direction without checking Google Maps.
🎂 Whatever it is, treat it like a birthday candle: set an intention for curiosity before you begin.
Keep your eyes open. Take notes. Put your phone away. Let your mind wander.
(Here’s the key.) While you’re there, ask yourself: What does my next chapter need from me now?
Because inspiration isn’t a side trip.
It’s the next step.
Curious where to find your own inspiration—or what your explorations might be trying to show you?
That’s what I love helping people uncover. I’m out of the office until June 3rd, but you can book a call now for when I return.
