People tell me I am inspiring. I’ve been uncomfortable with this for a long time. I finally realized why.
I want to be more than inspirational. I want to be influential. As a coach, I want to see people make specific and positive actions to bring their ideas into form. I love that I bring inspiration. And I want to bring change too.
What’s the difference between inspiration and influence?
Inspiration
Inspiration sparks an emotional quickening. It uplifts, infuses us with hope, generates new ideas and gives us the sense of possibility and faith. I feel moved when I am inspired.
Some of my inspiration comes from:
Cities, nature, oceans, movies and books.
TED talks
Justine Musk
Good Life Project TV
Design Matters Podcast by Debbie Millman
Chris Guillebeau of The Art of Non-Conformity
Influence
Influence exerts a specific, directive force to provoke change on a sometimes daily or consistent basis. Influence makes things happen.
Some of my influences are:
The weather, my emotions, my food choices.
Susan Piver
Kelly Newsome
Jonathan Fields
This Epic Life
Moondance Botanicals
Kindness Yoga
Art Biz Coach
The Kitchen Skinny
Natalie Goldberg
I could go on but I’ll stop there. I’m sure there’s crossover and in some cases, we’re talking semantics. I could argue that the flowers both inspire and influence me. And the tea with its ritual hits both influence and inspiration.
My main reason for bringing this conversation up is because I want all of us to glean inspiration and take action. I am not okay with sitting on the sidelines all inspired and no action.
Have you considered what inspires you – makes you feel good and hopeful – and what influences your life on a daily basis?
I invite you to make a list. It’s a good practice to see what you’re consuming and what’s helping you create. Share your list in a comment below or a link to the list on your own blog.
And don’t be stingy – share this post! I’m trying to be an influence and need your help to do so.
I never thought of inspiration and influence this way. For me, if I’m not inspired by something it has little chance to influence me. In fact, I’m usually turned off by hard-core influencers.
I’m wondering if maybe you underestimate how influential your inspiration is. I mean, if it hadn’t been for you I doubt I would have ever gone out and gotten my Caran D’ache watercolor crayons and started using them. So thank you for both the inspiration and influence!
Thanks, Patty. I think you’re right; I do underestimate the power of inspiration. It’s hard to know and see unless someone tells you, and even then, it’s energy and not specific results.
But I am open to the mystery of inspiration, to not knowing, to putting my energy out there and trusting it’s catching people at the right time and in the right way.
SO glad you got your crayons out again. Are you having fun with them? I hope so!
Thanks for commenting, and for sharing this post on Twitter, too.
My first instinct was to click on Visual Thesaurus, my go-to for inspiration and influence 😉 After review the over 30 entries describing influence, I can see why one would rather have influence over inspiration.
Some INFLUENCE thesaurus entries:
effect result
shape power
mold outcome
charm force
act upon determining factor
INSPIRATION entries:
divine guidance
thought intuition
idea inhalation
aspiration
I noticed how blatant active vs. passive words were used in their descriptions.
My homework below:
A few things that came to mind that inspire me:
Clouds; the big, white, puffy, towering ones
A Renee Magritte painting
A great line that makes me laugh or cry…
Watching a musical instrument being played (but not by some stinkin’ amateur)
Last, but not least, my best friend on the planet Judi
Things that influence me:
A great stroke of my paintbrush that takes my breath away and makes me excited to paint the next one.
A finished session writing my novel, knowing that the outcome of completing the damn thang is palpable.
Acting on a suggestion, then building on it until it grows into…?
“The Great Gatsby”
Watching someone’s face when looking at their finished painting in my “Paint a Masterpiece” painting class when the realization hits them that they are creative after all; a very powerful, delicious feeling.
Cathy,
Thank you for looking those words up. It’s fun to see what exactly they mean. I think both are valid, and it seems inspiration is more on the feminine scale of the energy scale and influence on the masculine end. I like having both.
I love your lists. What I notice is the inspiration is stuff that comes from outside and the influence list shows the actions that YOU take that influence your life. I love that dance of receiving and giving.
Have you seen a trailer for the movie, The Great Gatsby? It looks big and great, like the Moulin Rouge. I can’t wait to see it.
Thanks for commenting; it’s great having your voice here.
Haven’t seen the Gatsby trailer but I’m going to look it up now. I lost track of it because it’s taken so long to get it out!
WOW WOW WOWZA! CAN’T WAIT FOR MAY 10TH… and it certainly influences and inspires me to hurry up with Zelda’s Diary-timing is everything.
Cynthia,
This was an interesting topic, looking at the difference between inspiration and influence. I understand your desire to be an influence and not just an inspiration; but I think they do go hand in hand. What inspires often influences at the same time. I think this activity you suggest with making a list of what inspires and influences us is a great authenticity activator, being sure that what we are spending our time with is actually making a positive difference in our life experience. That is certainly worth knowing.
I have chosen your post, Which Is Better: Inspiration or Influence?, for the #JournalChat Pick of the Day on 3/20/13 for all things journaling on Twitter; a link will be posted on the social networks, on my blog and website Refresh with Dawn Herring, and in my weekly Refresh Journal: http://tinyurl.com/ch8hmcf.
#JournalChat Live is every Thursday, 5 EST/2 PST, for all things journaling on Twitter; our topic this week is Your Journaling: How and Who I Am. Debra DiPietro joins us!
Thanks again for sharing your view on inspiration and influence and its value in our lives.
Be refreshed,
Dawn Herring
Your Refreshment Specialist
Host of #JournalChat Live and Links Edition on Twitter
Author of The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child
Dawn,
I love that ‘authenticity activator’. I think anything that has us be more conscious of what we’re choosing and how it impacts our creating is a good act.
Thank you so much for including this in the Pick of the Day! I may not be in the office during the tweet chat but if I am I will participate! I’d love to see what others think of this topic!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I love how others see this issue.
Thank you for sharing your feelings on hearing how ‘inspirational’ you are…I too am often uncomfortable when friends tell me I am an inspiration, but I don’t see them taking actions on what they find inspiring about me and part of my personal mission IS to encourage creativity in others, so of course, this often bothers me…
But one thing I would recommend that you keep in mind is that sometimes being an inspiration may eventually lead to the inspired individual taking some actions that we may not see directly. I know for myself, inspiration may lead to a time of marinating in it and allowing ideas time to percolate before I take action…and I do witness my inspired friends taking actions in areas I would not have anticipated and I like to hope that my creativity has inspired those actions =-)
FYI: I didn’t get the moniker ‘Creative Beast’ for sitting around and doing nothing! 😉
Thanks for a great post!
Dear Beast,
SO true! We never know what a spark of inspiration will ignite. In a way it’s the ultimate letting go. Put something out there and let it go. Give a gift and let it go.
I think part of my issue is when I have to offer ‘proof’ of my work. I have to point to clients and students who have achieved something tangible as a result of our work together. And so much of my impact is internal. How do you measure confidence? How do you show a new self-respect? In action.
I am grateful to have both inspirational and influential energy to share. And grateful for those who receive it!
Thanks for commenting; I appreciate you.