How Your Drunk Self Could Actually Be Your Greatest Inspiration

Charlie Chaplin once stated, “A man’s true character comes out when he’s drunk.” Certainly the idea that humans are more inclined to express honesty while in a state of inebriation is not a new concept.

Just as it was not a groundbreaking thought when coming from the mouth of the iconic silent era film star. Alcohol has, and always will be, a direct route to the passions we are capable of holding so deeply inside.

Of course, when alcohol gets the better of us, the results can be ugly. As we all know, and have most likely witnessed, consuming one too many drinks has the power to cause increased aggression, general misinterpretation and misread social cues.

You don’t have to be sober to realize that the average bar fight and one-night stand are a result of a complete lack of inhibitions.

However, alcohol also possesses a much more romanticized quality as the universal social icebreaker. Liquid courage comes in all different flavors and proofs, and when we consume it while on our best behavior, we tend to be more introspective, self-reflective and outgoing than when caught in the cycle of our day jobs and weekly worries and stresses.

For the average person, a night of casual drinking doesn’t end up in thrown haymakers and a morning walk-of-shame. In actuality, drunken conversations can offer a refreshing sense of sincerity and confidence.

From discussing future aspirations to smooth-talking your way into a new phonebook, there’s a lot we can learn from our tipsy selves.

But how much attention do we pay to the words we utter when we’re drunk and struck with a newfound, even if momentary, sense of self-confidence and excitement?

While drunken honesty in the sense of telling your office crush that you find him or her attractive or admitting you were never a fan of "The Lord Of The Rings" may be a given, there’s a deeper layer of self-honesty we touch upon when clinking glasses and making toasts.

Sure, we may be more inclined to exaggerate our own success and personal lives when drunk, the way so many do on Instagram profiles and Facebook statuses.

However, from our stylized descriptions of our lives after a few drinks, there is great honesty to be interpreted, and it is important to pay attention to the commitments and desires that our drunken selves so willingly and passionately share.

Waking up the next morning with a headache and an appetite for greasy carbohydrates does not mean you have to abandon the sociable, go-getter mentality you exhibited the night before. Just because “a drunk mind speaks a sober heart” is as clichéd as clichés come, doesn’t mean there’s no truth to it.

The greatest minds of our time and the successful leaders that help shape this world maintain an aggressive desire to both set and reach personal goals.

There is no reason that the honest passions and general excitements that so excitedly surface after a few drinks can’t be maintained in our everyday sober lives.

Passions & Dreams

Perhaps the most common of drunken conversations revolves around aspirations and dreams. Most sentences began with “I wish,” “I want” or “Let’s do this.” With the fuel of alcohol and the joyousness of being surrounded by friends, our passions tend to come wildly stampeding to the surface. Because why shouldn’t we talk about the things we want most in life when we’re feeling good?

The problem is, like wasted talent, many of these completely reachable ideas and goals never evolve into anything more than drunken chatter.

Whether it be “Let’s absolutely go on a trip this summer,” or “I have a really great idea for a small business,” these sentiments and exciting ideas are never fully manifested.

Sure, not everyone can drop what they’re doing and travel or dedicate all their time to starting a business or creative project, but they are things that everyone can work toward.

If a drunken mind does, in fact, speak a sober heart, then it becomes obvious what will make you happy. If all you can do is passionately talk about the dream that you are doing nothing to pursue, except talk about it when you’re drunk and excited, then your dream is bound to stay just that, a dream.

As if going to sleep and waking up from a powerful dream, analyze and consider the thoughts you had the night before and realize that your passions are itching to be pursued.

Confidence & Attraction

Disclaimer: Most drunk hookups and pick-up lines do not usually translate well outside of a dimly lit bar where almost everyone has peed six times in two hours and thought about how much they’d like to make out with the person across the room.

However, there’s a lot to be said about the confidence we gain when intoxicated. Even when we’re not stumbling drunks, alcohol allows us to garner poise and a certain sureness that allows us to be more straightforward with the person we are attracted to.

It could be as simple as putting a hand on his or her shoulder when you normally wouldn't or telling a joke you’d otherwise never think to share.

Take note of the things that work, like your body language or how intently you are listening to the other person. Mastering this relaxed demeanor and undaunted engagement will go a long way outside of the bar, when you don’t have a drink in your hand.

The Truth About Your Day Job

Some of us spend the day doing what we love. Others spend the day working to pay the bills, counting down the hours before they can get back to something that is enjoyable to them.

While work is an inescapable topic of conversation in almost any setting, it’s important to understand your true feelings about the way you spend so much of your life.

If bashing your job and rehashing all the negative aspects of your day is the most prominent part of your social night out, you may want to reevaluate why you are doing what you do.

A few drinks are more likely to help you vent your feelings in a way you can’t during the day, but pay close attention to what you are actually saying and how you feel. If all you do is complain about the present and wish for a better future, it’s time to actively look for a better future.

If you can’t stop talking how much you know you deserve a raise, it’d be in your best interest to start mapping out a conversation with your boss.

It’s easy to talk a big game about how much better you are than your job, but if that belief and that desire don't carry over into your sober life, you won’t be finding that better future or that well-deserved raise any time soon.

Harness the honest feelings that so often present themselves and begin actively pursuing the career goals that interest you, instead of just complaining in a social setting.

Your Relationship And The Prospect of Love

If drinking only leads to detailed confessions about how unhappy you are in a relationship, there is absolutely no reason to mask your true feelings and settle for something that does not make you happy.

On the other hand, if you are single and a few sips of liquor or bottles of beer bring out a hopeless urge to connect on an intimate level with someone else, it’s probably time you pay closer attention to your desires. It’s easy to feel the weight of alcohol’s momentary euphoria and realize just how dissatisfying your love life is.

It’s easy to remain distracted from your emotions throughout the day, but take note of the feelings that surface and take steps in your everyday life to both better yourself and put yourself in a position to meet more people.

If you find yourself in a crowded bar feeling not so attracted to the people around you, you should be putting yourself in settings with people you’d be more interested in meeting.

Instead of drinking and then spending the night wallowing in your sorrows, take an active step to feeling better about yourself and improving your own lifestyle, because when you feel good about who you are, that’s when others will want to get to know you most.

Photo credit: Wolf Of Wall St