Inspire Someone Else and Inspire Yourself

I work closely with our local domestic abuse shelter organization. The hotline and shelter staffs are the most extraordinary people I know. For the most part, their job is to help the victim get through the initial survival issues. Over time though, the job shifts to inspire the victims to move forward productively in their lives. There is little monetary reward in their work. They have to be brilliant each day to overcome the barriers and limitations that exist. This is sad, stressful, taxing work. Why do they do it?

There are many motivations of course. But a part of the motivation for the staff comes from the inspiration they personally experience in their own lives when they inspire their clients. It’s contagious. What can be more inspirational then when a victim becomes a survivor?

The best way to learn is to teach. When you are the teacher you have to consider all the angles. As a professional speaker and executive advisor, my clients help keep me sharp. Sometimes taking the next action (reading the next article, thinking through the next problem, etc.) just for me isn’t enough. But, knowing that others are depending on me can usually get me moving. Of course, I end up better off as a result. Seeing the positive impact in someone’s life as a result of my efforts is the most important inspiration I can ever experience. It jazzes me.

In the last AmaZe issue we discussed how initiative, fueled by passion, is a critical catalyst for your personal brilliance. How to create the inspiration for that passion is a valid question. Interestingly the word inspiration not only describes our state of being inspired but also implies the act of exalting others. No person is an island. Working on others may be the best way to work on you.

Inspiration seems like magic, a sudden motivation or great idea. There are a number of ways to influence that magic. Inspiring others is just one way you can inspire yourself and possibly make a difference in the world. What can you do to inspire others?

CHOICES believes that domestic violence – and all of its consequences – can be prevented. To make a donation that supports lifesaving programs for survivors of intimate partner violence and their children, please send it to:

CHOICES
(AmaZe)
PO Box 06157
Columbus, Ohio 43206