Be Inspired by Someone Else to Strengthen Belief in Yourself

Inspired by Someone: Do you remember the last time someone inspired you? It could be a conference you attended or watched online. You could have had a brief encounter with someone you admire. Whatever the case, the motivation of others can strengthen belief in yourself.

Confession: a significant portion of my life has been spent craving the guidance and motivational from a male role model. I’ve been fighting an uphill battle trying to navigate my way through life and career. I could definitely benefit from some form of mentorship. Part of this is self-inflicted because I also subscribe to the adage – “never meet your heroes.” Often times, it can lead to utter disappointment. Ah, the complexities of my life ….   My wife, Melissa, has been a constant source of inspiration, but I believe men also need a male role model and women need a woman role model – just my opinion. You have likely read books about people you admire. No doubt we’ve been introduced to what they had to go through to become successful. We hear about the pain they had to endure and all of the challenges they had to face and overcome. Some stories will shock you.

We tend to view their lives as the standard of perfection. It’s hard to believe that these people ever had to deal with adverse situations. It’s easy to believe these people have an innate ability that you don’t possess. We tend to place them on a pedestal.

Some started the same as you while others were disadvantaged. The bottom line is that they made it in life and we can learn from them.

Let others strengthen belief in yourself. I encourage you to consider the following:

• Envision the results. If you are hesitant about getting started. Try to imagine how your life will change when you finally believe in yourself. You can employ mindfulness meditation to achieve this. Think about how great it will feel to get rid of the load of bricks you’ve been carrying. Consider the possibilities that will follow this victory. The world will be your oyster. You don’t have to eat the oyster, but you can look for the pearl!
• Approach them. If it’s someone you can approach, don’t be afraid to do so. Ask them for some advice and guidance. You’d be surprised at the number of people who are willing to help. I realize this is easier said than done.
• Take action. Be willing to follow their advice. Model their actions as best you can.
• Monitor your progress. Take note of how your life is changing. This will allow you to zoom out and assess your victories as well as where you can improve.
• Self-Esteem Improves. Let’s face it, this is all about self-esteem.
• You are being watched. No, I am not being paranoid. I’m suggesting you consider those who may be looking up to you and to set the example for them. You never know who may be admiring you.

I’ve realized that we all imprison ourselves in one way or another. The good news is that we are doing this to ourselves. No one else is doing it to us. We have the power to stop.

I’m great at giving advice to others, but I need to follow it as well. Life is hard. Life is tough. But we have the power to create our own victories – especially when we let others strengthen belief in ourselves. ~Ted

20 Ways to be an inspiration to others ~parts adapted via Lifehack.com inspired by someone

1. Care If you can’t show a person that you genuinely care about them, do you think you will be able to inspire them? The answer is a resounding, “NO!” Show people you care in your words (“How are you today?”) and your actions (small acts of kindness go a long way).  2. Be enthusiastic The saying “enthusiasm is contagious” is common enough to be cliché, but it’s a cliché because it’s true. Reflect enthusiasm every day to the people you are in contact with and I’m willing to wager your genuine smiles, positive energy, and caring concern will be returned ten-fold. 3. Earn trust If a person you know and love tells you a secret, it stays between you and them.

Trust takes a long time to build, but it can be destroyed overnight, so don’t take part in workplace gossip or unnecessary drama in your social networks so you can be a positive influence that people are unafraid to talk to.

4. If it’s not positive, don’t say it

It’s easy to criticize people, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. Think about it: how do you react if someone insults your intelligence, makes fun of your outfit, or criticizes your performance? Whether the criticism is justified or not, I bet you get upset. No one likes to be criticized, so if you don’t have anything positive to say, don’t say it at all.

5. Build people up

Small compliments have a way of brightening any day, regardless of the dark shadows that may be overhead. Don’t believe me? Find someone in your office wearing a frown, tell them how cute (or handsome) they look today, and watch a bright smile take over their face. If your compliment doesn’t make their day, I’ll buy you a beer.

6. Stand your ground

It’s easy to let life-stress shake our foundation of inner-strength as human beings, but if you want to inspire people around you, learn to stand your ground through thick and thin. Stand firm if you want to show the people around you that even the worst of circumstances can be overcome with positive thinking, continuous improvement, and a never-say-die attitude.

7. Admit your flaws

Although it is important to not flinch when life throws us a curve-ball, it is equally important to acknowledge the fact that we are all human beings here, and thus are all inherently flawed. Everyone has at least one glaring weakness or two, so accept your short-comings to humanize yourself so people can relate to you on a deeper level. Show me a person who claims to be without fault and I’ll show you a dirty liar.

8. Be an active listener

Anyone can hear the words other people say, but not many people can actively listen and comprehend those words to fully understand the meaning behind them. Make eye-contact if someone talks to you about their problems and ask follow-up questions to show them you care about what they are going through and want to understand where they are coming from as well as you can.

9. Reach for the stars

No one will be inspired by a person who resigns themselves to “reality” (such a dreadful place that sounds devoid of hope or personal growth in my opinion). Be ambitious, aim high, and never surrender if you want to inspire people that they, too, can accomplish anything they set their mind to.

10. Deliver constructive criticism

First of all, constructive criticism should only be delivered if it is asked for. Remember point #4: if it’s not positive, don’t say it. If you criticize someone for their flaws without any input requested, you’re just going to upset them. But if you are asked for input, deliver it in a positive manner. For the sake of example, let’s assume someone asked you for feedback about an article, blog, essay, or resume that they wrote. You might deliver your feedback like this:

“First, thank you for asking me for input: it means a lot that you trust me! I looked it over and let me just say that I love what you did with [insert positive compliment here]. But I think it might be even better if you did this instead [insert constructive criticism and feedback for improvement here].” 

11. Treat everyone equally

We are all equal human beings regardless of our gender, politics, race, religion, and other factors. Love and care for people without consideration of these irrelevant factors that have no influence on the quality of a person. Treat others how they want to be treated, no matter their background, to inspire trust and confidence.

12. Walk with confidence

Keep your head high and eyes forward so you can say, “Hello,” or, “How are you?” to everyone you walk past. Walk with a friendly swagger that reflects confidence in who you are.

13. Stay calm and cool

How people react to insults or criticism speaks highly about their ability to inspire others. If you respond to hate with more hate, how are you any better than the person who started the confrontation? (Hint: you’re not!) No matter how out-of-place or harsh an insult was, it’s best to stay calm and cool, because getting upset will not make you feel any better (and it certainly won’t inspire people around you). Shrug off insults like they didn’t happen and those who witness your unflinching nature might be inspired to do the same.

14. Share your influences

What books have made a huge impact on who you are as a person? What sources of inspiration help guide the most important decisions in your life? How did you become the happy, healthy, positive person you are today? Share the influences that shaped who you are so others can also benefit.

15. Acknowledge contributions of others

No matter how wonderful you are, you’re just one person, so I’m sure others have contributed to your greatest successes in life. If you’re a writer and receive a compliment about a particular passage that one of your friends inspired, say something like, “I so appreciate that, but you know what’s funny? It wasn’t even my idea! My super talented and brilliant friend _______ gets full credit.” Acknowledge the contribution publicly if at all possible to show people you’re humble and thoughtful enough to give credit where it’s due.

16. Keep your promises

If you volunteered to help with a cause and you get invited to a movie or concert, you need to keep your word, no matter how much more fun the other thing may be. It’s easy to ditch our responsibilities when a more interesting opportunity presents itself, but this is a sure-fire way to destroy the trust you’ve worked so hard to earn, so you’d be wise to keep your word no matter what.

17. Stay true to who you are

A lot of us have a variety of “selves” that come out depending on the social situation: home, work, and friends all require a different song-and-dance. But putting on a different show for every group of people you encounter is super exhausting, and it’s certainly not a good way to inspire people around you. Would you place your confidence in a person who was so uncomfortable in their personality that they felt the need to pander to whatever crowd they were with? Embrace your true self without apology.

18. Explore alternative thoughts and ideas

Anyone who thinks they have all the answers is kidding themselves, so make a point of challenging your beliefs on a regular basis. If you’re fiscally conservative, explore a well-thought out piece by someone on the opposite end of the political spectrum so you can see the other side of the story. If you’re a Christian, explore the thoughts of the most highly regarded Muslims to discover why they believe what they do. Have conversations with people who believe differently than you do to learn what makes them tick. It’s unlikely you’ll change your mind, and if you really believe something with conviction, it should hold up to scrutiny. Your openness will show others that you are so firm in your convictions that you’re willing to challenge your beliefs. You’ll also develop trust in people who think differently than you do, who otherwise might have been afraid to approach you. 

19. Never add insult to injury

If you win an argument, there is no need to brag about it. Proclaiming, “I told you so,” will make you look arrogant and discourage people from approaching you about the important things (and rightfully so!). 

20. Set people free

Don’t merely give people step-by-step advice, but instead give them the freedom to figure it out by themselves. No one likes a micro-manager. If you’re asked for help, deliver a rough guideline to get a person moving in the right direction, but intentionally leave something left to the imagination so they will have the freedom to fill-in-the-blanks. When a person discovers they are capable of figuring things out by their lonesome, they will discover they are more powerful than they ever thought possible.

How Do You Inspire People Around You?

Have you had the pleasure of inspiring a person to take a positive step forward to a better life? Or has someone helped inspire you to overcome a significant struggle? 

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