Unpacking tensions: How to thrive in the space between “Inspiration” and “Reality”

An ongoing tug-of-war between our realities and our dreams is central to any meaningful worklife. In this piece, we unpack this key tension using the Map of Meaning framework—and explore how connecting the two can enable us to thrive at work.

Artwork by MeaningSphere

Ever had a brilliant idea or vision—only to have your brainchild dismissed by friends or colleagues as impossible, unrealistic, too expensive, too weird?

Or maybe you’ve had the opposite kind of experience. Maybe you’ve sat through a CEO’s pie-in-the-sky, motivational speeches at your workplace and thought to yourself, “If they tried working in my department for even a week, they’d see how ridiculous these pronouncements are.”

If you’ve been in either situation, guess what: You’ve experienced the fundamental tension of our working lives. We’ve all got dreams, aspirations, and big ideas that motivate and inspire us. And yet in pursuit of our dreams, we all must face certain realities: the weather, gravity, the limited resources available to us, or simply our own fallible nature. Throughout our lives, we are engaged in an ongoing negotiation between these two poles: the innate desire to follow our passions, and an awareness of the realities that ground us. 

The Map of Meaning framework refers to these opposing forces as “Inspiration” and “Reality of Self and Circumstances.” In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at this fundamental tension—and explore how consciously connecting the two enables us to thrive. 

The design of the Map of Meaning reflects an understanding of meaning not as a static goal, but as an ongoing balance between opposite fundamental needs. On the Map, there are four “pathways” through which we experience meaning in our day-to-day, which are kept in balance by three “tensions."

Why is this Reality-Inspiration tension important?  

We’ve written before about how “tensions” work on the Map of Meaning. As you’ll recall, these tensions, which also include “Being and Doing” and “Self and Others,” are not inherently good or bad—they simply refer to the push-and-pull of opposite forces. 

On the Map, the tug-of-war between Reality and Inspiration frames our entire experience of meaning. Located at the center of the Map, “Inspiration” gives us something to strive for.  Meanwhile, the outer ring of “Reality of Self and Circumstances” keeps all that striving focused on what’s possible—so we don’t waste our efforts. 

Getting super-specific about your true source of Inspiration, then reconciling this with your present Reality, requires honesty and a healthy practice of reflection. Otherwise, we may start to favor one over the other. You may become so bogged down in “being realistic” that when you hear of an opening at your dream job, you don’t bother applying—even if all your friends in the industry are saying you’d be perfect for it. Conversely, we can get so swept up by what inspires us that we become unmoored from reality—like the example of the out-of-touch CEO. 

Throughout our lives, we are engaged in an ongoing negotiation between these two poles: the innate desire to follow our passions, and an awareness of the realities that ground us.

Start here: Identify your Inspiration! 

There’s a force that motivates each of us—something that feeds our spirit and keeps us going. This source of inspiration is why we show up, why we keep striving, and what we’re ultimately working for.  We already sense this source of Inspiration intuitively, but the trick is to put it into words. That way, we can talk about it with others—and refer back to it when we’ve lost sight of it ourselves. 

As you consider what inspires you, forget about any obvious, programmed answers you think you should say, or that others would like you to say. What truly sustains you, nourishes you, and replenishes you when you’re feeling low? What quest are you on? Try jotting down a few keywords and see what sticks. It helps to physically place these words at the center of the Map (you can do this using Post-It notes over a quick sketch of the Map) and notice how you respond to each word or phrase when it's placed there—does it resonate with you, or feel off? Be it caring for family, building community, honoring our spirituality, nurturing our creativity, or connecting with nature—your Inspiration is yours to define and re-define as you continue to grow. 

Ideally, your worklife will align with this source of Inspiration. You may find it already has—maybe you’ve chosen a career in sustainable development because preserving the natural world is what really matters to you. Or you may have crafted a worklife that allows you the flexibility you need to spend time with family, if that’s what lights you up. However, it’s all right if your Inspiration and your job are at odds right now: what’s important is that you’ve started to identify and articulate your Inspiration. Once you're clear on what really matters to you, you can begin to make career choices that really fit you—not someone else’s idea of success. 

 We already sense this source of Inspiration intuitively, but the trick is to put it into words. That way, we can talk about it with others—and refer back to it when we’ve lost sight of it ourselves. 

Next: How to square this Inspiration with Reality? 

Inspiration can be a powerful motivating factor, but what happens when the first obstacles and challenges arise—in other words, when we are forced to square our Inspiration with Reality? This is where we figure out what we can work on, and what we must simply accept. 

On the Map, “Reality” has two components to it: Self and Circumstances. Reality of Self has to do with our individual abilities and limitations, while Reality of Circumstances has to do with the nature of the world around us. In order to make our dreams and aspirations, well, a reality, we have to take an honest look at both. 

To get started, it’s helpful to think of a professional goal of yours—something well-aligned with your Inspiration. What unique qualities of yours are helping or hindering you from reaching this goal? For example, you may have an innovative idea and spent months researching and creating a pitch—but for some reason, stopped short when it came time to approaching potential investors and collaborators.  You might conclude that while you’re not short on creativity or ingenuity, you could do with more confidence in presenting your ideas to the world. 

Next, how much of your ability to reach this goal is affected by your circumstances? 

You might have been plotting an exciting new career pivot—but stalled out because it would require a training course that costs time and money you don’t have right now.  

Once you’ve taken stock of both aspects of your reality, you can decide where to focus your problem-solving energies. What aspects of your reality should simply be accepted for what they are, and what can you change or improve? 

Now what? Connecting Inspiration and Reality in your daily worklife 

Once you know what to look for, you may start to see examples of the Reality/Inspiration tension playing out all around you. When Reality and Inspiration are out of sync, work can feel frustrating, stagnant, or dull. However, when these two are working together, work just feels right. Bridging Inspiration and Reality can create a profound sense of agency, fulfilment, satisfaction, and self-acceptance. To maintain this bridge, it’s necessary to check in with ourselves regularly, to be honest about our dreams and realities, and to occasionally seek fresh perspectives. 

Here are a few next steps to try: 

1. Go deeper with expert guidance from MeaningSphere’s Meaningful Work Inventory Experience. Based on the powerful Map of Meaning framework, the Meaningful Work Inventory comprises 31 statements about your worklife (for example, “At work we face up to reality”) which you’ll select the most appropriate answer to. Once complete, you’ll receive a comprehensive, downloadable report based on your responses. Then, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with a trusted Guide for a one-hour discussion to connect the dots, recognize imbalances, and create an action plan—broken down into easy, bite-sized steps.  

2. Explore what meaningful work looks like for you by using the Map of Meaning holistically. The Reality-Inspiration tension is just one part of this compelling framework. Check out our interview with the Map of Meaning creator for more practical insight on how to read and apply the Map. 

3. Find a reflection practice that works for you. When confronted with a dilemma or simply feeling fed up at work, it can be tempting to go straight into “solution mode”—leaping to fix the problem before we’ve had time to consider its underlying cause. We’ve written before about how important it is to cultivate a practice of reflection so that we’re prepared to make more meaningful choices. It’s no quick fix, but making reflection a habit sets us up for a life of learning and growth. 

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