Today's question: Who inspires you?
So, to get us in the right frame of mind, let's start with the silky smooth falsetto tones of Peter Cetera...
Now that we've got that out of the way, I must say that I hate hate hate the idea of people being 'inspiring'. So often, we use this label to describe somebody who manages to achieve something extraordinary - particularly if it's something that we can't see ourselves doing ourselves.
It might be somebody who's managed to forge a successful career to the point where they have a secure six-digit salary. Or somebody living with a disability who has still managed to achieve success in some form. Or somebody who's defied expectations, and taken the path less taken to follow their dreams and find personal satisfaction.
I've certainly crossed paths with these people, and I've felt... something. I don't know if it's inspiration, or perhaps jealousy or resentment. Because the reality is that, generally speaking, they are just people. Not worthy of putting on a pedestal as being extraordinary. In most cases, they worked bloody hard - and a bit of privilege never went astray as well.
Because there are also many many more people who also work bloody hard, but never see the same level of success.
So, who inspires me? For me, personally, it's those closest to me who see the best in me and actively encourage me to do more and to do better, especially when I doubt my own capacity. They know who they are - I don't need to name them.
And in return, I try to do the same for others. Goodness knows we all need some positive encouragement from each other from time to time.
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