Definition: Inspiration

Most people think they know what inspiration truly is, and they are right – as the source of inspiration is varied, the true definition may vary as well but here’s a brief version:

Inspiration is the stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity. Inspiration comes from the Latin, inspirare which means “To breathe, to blow into …the Spirit is within.” That definition has a spiritual context, regardless of your faith religion, but today’s hectic, harried and hurried world reduces the source of inspiration for many people.

The source of inspiration today comes in many forms: faith, music, movies, books, people, worthy causes, personal vision or mission, a mentor, a worthwhile goal or in service to others – rarely is inspiration a material item, as the inspiration tends to become short-lived.

It’s been said that we live in the Age of Information – true, but I’d argue that we currently live in the Age of Inspiration. Without it, we drown in the information-overload that is today’s media rich world. Considering the definition of inspiration, the question becomes how consistently – day-in and day-out – to we maintain a high level of inspiration?

Bottom-line, if we want to inspire others, you must have a rich, multiple sources of inspiration to maintain a consistently high level of enthusiasm, drive, focus and energy. TRUST is synonymous with Faith, and for many people, faith is a principal form of their daily inspiration.