Do you want to be inspired or motivated? Tough call, isn't it? Many reading this may be wondering if there is any difference at all.
Can you think of a typical day in your life? How do you wake up? How are you through the day?
Do you see yourself waking up and getting ready to work even if you don't want to, just because you have to save up for the vacation you have coming?
Do you hear encouraging self-talk through the day to complete the tasks at hand?
Do you force yourself to complete the work just because they have been lying at your desk and feel that unless you finish them, you cannot move forward?
Then, if you are enthusiastic and energized, you are probably motivated! Motivation generally comes from an external source. You have to recharge continuously to feel the Motivation.
Motivation also makes us try very hard, and we tend to judge ourselves when we do not get motivated.
Now let us explore what Inspiration is.
Inspiration comes from within. It is deep-rooted and does not need a vacation, positive self-talk or a recharge.
Who are you through the day is what Inspiration is. Inspiration allows a person to explore the endless possibilities within. People in an inspired state are generally calm, grounded, unfazed by success or failures because they love what they are doing.
They have a clear intention in how they want to be throughout the day! It is very different from how you want your day to be!
The talk about Motivation or Inspiration reminds me of the story of the ferns and the bamboo. A man grows both ferns and bamboo, gives them an equal amount of sunlight and water. The ferns quickly rise from the earth, whereas the bamboo does not increase more than an inch for the next five years. But within six months, the bamboo tree grew a hundred feet tall. The bamboo tree did not sprout overnight; it had been growing strong roots and grounding itself firmly on earth.
I do not want to underestimate the power of Motivation, but I think I would rather feel inspired from within. When I feel inspired, I live my life the way I want. Steve Jobs at a Stanford Commencement Speech, talked about "Connecting the dots". He said that "no one can connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards". Looking back, I realize that I have always trusted in the unconscious to guide me and let the Motivation flow from within. That is Inspiration!
#inspiration # Motivation