Inspiration propels us. It’s the basis of every accomplishment. But the idea that it simply falls into your lap is a myth. Inspiration doesn’t come to us in a gust of wind, only to disappear into the mist again. You make it happen; it’s a reward for work that you’ve already done. The combination of perspiration and inspiration takes you to where you want to go.

In this ode to what is perhaps the brain’s greatest achievement, Ap Dijksterhuis explains, with a storyteller’s verve, what inspiration is, why we have it, how it works and how to get it. Drawing upon on the most up-to-date research in neuroscience and psychology, he shows how inspiration stands in relation to creativity, motivation, curiosity and the overall functioning of the brain.

Ultimately, inspiration is not a privilege granted to a talented few: everyone who chooses inspiration will benefit from it. Including you.

Ap Dijksterhuis is the bestselling author of numerous books and Professor of Psychology at Radboud University in Nijmegen
Translated by Liz Waters