There are tonnes of inspirational people in the world, people we can learn lessons from and look up to. For some, you might find your inspiration from those closest to you, does your Grandma inspire you for raising so many children in tougher times? Or perhaps you have a teacher who has inspired you or you admire your best friend for starting their own business or your aunty for losing weight.
In a recent study on Personality and Individual Differences, people who were generally more inspired in their daily lives also tended to set inspired goals, which were then more likely to be successfully attained. People who felt inspired also reported having or feeling like they had more purpose in life and more gratitude.
Inspiration also increases well-being as another study from the University of Rochester found that participants who were exposed to Michael Jordan’s greatness experienced higher levels of positive affect. Their score explained this increase in positive affect on the Inspiration Scale.
However, there are downsides to this inspiration as people put pressure on themselves to feel inspired, and the writer Elizabeth Gilbert expresses her concern about this in her inspiring TED talk. There is also the fact that looking at other people’s achievements can make people feel inadequate and under pressure. Social media, in particular, can add to this as people show the highlights or the best bits of their lives and not what’s going on. While most people know this, it can still make people feel negative, intimidated, or jealous of other people rather than inspired. Social media is probably not the best place to find inspiration; instead, try looking at some truly inspirational people that we can all learn from.
LeBron James
The famous basketballer is admired all over the world and not just because of his skills on the court. LeBron James grew up without a father; he had a very poor education, no training, and very few role models and no money. However, he managed to get into basketball, and his talent was awarded $420,000 per week when he was only age 18. Now, you’d think you can guess the rest, but no, LeBron James married his high school sweetheart, has never been arrested, has never used drugs, has never humiliated his wife with any scandal of other women, had no babies outside of his marriage. He is, in fact, an excellent father, heavily involved with his kid’s activities, as well as being the greatest player in basketball in the world, today! He has a fantastic reputation, now earning $2 million per week, and he has paid for over 1100 kids to go to college – among other things.
Jk Rowling
Not only did JK Rowling inspire a whole generation of readers, not only is she a great feminist and a role model to all women, but she also started with nothing. When she began writing Harry Potter, she was a single mother, she was on benefits and she was depressed. She still managed to push through and chase her dreams, which alone makes her an excellent role model to look up to, and she never gave up.
Jessica Cox
Jessica Cox is not only a pilot, but she is the world’s first certified armless pilot. It doesn’t stop there either, Jessica is also a certified scuba diver and has a third-degree black belt in taekwondo. She has traveled to more than 20 countries as a motivational speaker and is inspiring people all over the world.
Liz Murray
Author of New York Times best-selling memoir, “Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard,” Liz Murray became homeless at the age of 15, just after her mother died of HIV and her father had moved into a homeless shelter. Despite her intense limitations, Liz wanted more from life and so attended a local high school and graduated in just two years. Liz managed to get a New York Times scholarship for needy students and was accepted into Harvard University, where she eventually earned her doctorate in clinical psychology. She never let her circumstances dictate her future, instead, Liz chose her destiny and manifested it, despite overwhelming obstacles.
A man who was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, which is a rare disorder meaning that he doesn’t have any limbs, Nick Vujicic inspires people all over the world with his YouTube videos and his message to love life and live without limits.
Walt Disney
The man who said: “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me…You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
Walt Disney dreamed of becoming a cartoonist, but was once fired for lack of imagination and creativity; he then went into bankruptcy. Still, he didn’t let that stop him as he went on to open Disney, which led to his eventual win of 22 Academy Awards and something we all know and love today.
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin tells us never to stop learning; he said: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Benjamin Franklin was an author, diplomat, statesman, scientist, inventor, and philosopher; he made his fortune as a newspaper publisher in Philadelphia, before dedicating himself to a life of public service. He was the founder of a volunteer fire department, he also served in many government offices, and helped start the revolution that gave birth to the United States.
Aung San Suu Kyi
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi said, “If you do nothing, you get nothing.” An icon for peaceful resistance for her efforts to bring democracy to a military-ruled Burma, now Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, took leadership of the democratic opposition using non-violent means to fight a regime known for its harsh brutality. Then in 1989, she was placed under house arrest without charge or trial, but she was told by the military that she could go free if she agreed to leave Myanmar. She refused, until the country was returned to civilian government, and political prisoners were freed which meant that she was in strict custody for the next 15 years in. She was finally released from house arrest in November 2010. She subsequently held a seat in parliament for the National League for Democracy party until 2015. In early March 2016, the NLD party selected the country’s new president, Htin Kyaw, who had been a longtime adviser to Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi’s is married to a British national, which means she is constitutionally barred from the presidency. However, in April 2016, the position of state counselor was created to allow her a greater role in the country’s affairs.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs is considered to many as one of the most motivated and driven entrepreneurs of all time. Many people believe that it was his constant need for perfection that drove him to persevere through projects, but his biggest motivation was his desire to leave something behind that changed everything. He wanted to change the world and technology for the masses.
His message was to dream big and change the world. He also inspired or still inspires people to do what they love; he said: “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
