Breathe in. Breathe out. It can be helpful to think of inspiration through the word picture of breathing. If you are to inspire others, you need to figuratively breathe into them something they don’t yet have. Inspiring others sounds lofty, though. Is it something abstract or could inspiration really be as simple yet powerful as the act of breathing? It could be that if you are desiring to inspire others, you need to reframe your perspective on inspiration, the importance of proximity, and your understanding of patience.
One of the biggest hindrances to someone inspiring someone else, is in fact themselves.
It could be they feel as if they lack something – understanding, knowledge, experience, or even the motivation needed to inspire. It could be they feel as if they aren’t able to confidently pour into someone else or have that conversation of inspiration effectively. Worse, they might feel as if their time is too important to give toward that individual in need of inspiration. You can very easily get in the way of you inspiring others.
Inspiring someone else is not necessarily this lofty feat that is impossible to attain. Simplified, you might be the biggest blockade to inspiring others, but you are also the secret ingredient to inspiring others. Now that’s a change in perspective! You are the catalyst for inspiring others!
Inspiration is directly dependent on what you do and who you are, right where you are.
Here’s a wild proposition: People can be inspired by who you are and what you do, just from you being yourself and living your life. As you move closer in proximity with someone, your potential to inspire them increases. Many believe that when they felt inspired by someone, it was after seeing what they did, hearing what they said, or simply from being around them. This could be from a public speaker (in proximity to a larger group), a mentor (in proximity to a smaller group), or a close friend or relative (in proximity one-on-one). In each of those instances, the people who are inspiring others are doing something and being themselves, in proximity. Inspiration is directly dependent on what you do and who you are, right where you are.
...inspiration becomes a little less tangibly apparent. Inspiration requires patience at times.
Sometimes inspiration just won’t happen when you want it to, though. You might have a conversation with someone that, to you, feels undeniably inspiring. Yet, the other person exemplifies no response of having been inspired by you. That can be discouraging. Often, inspiration can move at the “speed of seed.” In other words, just like a plant or tree won’t grow up overnight, so your words or actions or lifestyle of inspiration might not even take root or germinate for decades. The seed is planted, but you may not see “results” from that individual for quite a while. In these cases, inspiration becomes a little less tangibly apparent. Inspiration requires patience at times.
So, breathe in. Take in the reality that you are the most important piece in inspiring others. Understand that they are worth your time. That’s perspective. Grasp the truth that who you are and what do you matters, and they may very well need to see you and hear you. That’s proximity. Then, breathe out. Inspire them. It may not feel like anything magical in the moment. Your inspiration may very well move at the speed of seed, but don’t get bogged down with that. That’s patience.
If you truly desire to inspire others – be you, be there, and be patient.
Authored by - Matt Yiesla