Some people feel like they cannot inspire others. It is not because they don’t believe that people can be inspired by others to move forward. They just believe that they do not have the perceived “magical” qualities to influence others to action. They falsely assume that only a select few have the secret sauce to inspiring others to success. They think that only Leaders with an emphasis on the capital “L” have the platform to impact others. They wrongly believe that only people who stand on a stage or platform speaking and performing for others could garner enough capital to capture someone’s attention.

[shareable]Inspire: To influence or propel someone forward into action[/shareable]

The reality is that you can inspire others to action every day. You have been blessed with unique talents that only you possess. You have been given a sphere of influence and have been created in a certain manner in order to know and discern what people in this sphere need. An encouraging word. A smile. Positive feedback. Challenging them to reach their potential. We all have these opportunities no matter how big our stage is and what platform we possess. I believe there are 3 ways that we can do this:

• Our Words – Evaluate the words you use every day. Do they set a positive tone and outlook for you and for others? Or, are you like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh constantly predicting gloom and doom for the future with sayings like, “It’s probably going to rain today,” when there is not a cloud in the sky.
• Our Actions – The way we live our lives communicates volumes to others about what we believe. We don’t want this Ralph Waldo Emerson quote to be said of us: “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” Make sure that your talk matches your walk and that your example lines up with what you espouse.
• Our Ability to Listen – Many times, we are so focused on what we want to say that we miss what others are communicating both verbally and non-verbally about their current situation. This is what I have learned from being a coach to athletes and business people as well as examining the best mentors in my own life. People want to be heard and understood in order to be inspired.

Inspirational people live from a foundation of a strong character versus the circumstances of the day. They base their lives on principles that are timeless, not trendy, and they inspire others through their words and their actions. Yes, you can inspire others and positively influence them in their life journey. The choice is up to you whether you will embrace this opportunity.

[shareable cite=”Mike Van Hoozer” text=”Inspirational people base their lives on principles that are timeless, not trendy.”]Inspirational people live from a foundation of a strong character and base their lives on principles that are timeless, not trendy.[/shareable]

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