How to Be an Inspiration to Others

Sachin Tendulkar has inspired thousands of young boys to take up cricket.  Lata Mangeshkar has inspired many to become professional singers. There are a million such examples of people who have been an inspiration to others. How does one get there? How can you inspire people? How can you become someone that people look up to?

Do what You love

Had Sachin become an accountant, would he have been so successful? Would he have become the sweetheart of the nation that he is today? Perhaps not. So start by doing what you love to do and are good at. At the same time, don’t think about money or fame. Just quietly go about doing your job and success will follow.

Success breeds Inspiration

Look at the Tatas and Birlas. I am sure they didn’t get into business saying one day we will inspire people. Inspiration happened on the way. Their success is one of the reasons why people look up to them.

It’s not only Success

But it’s not only success, it’s their personality- them as people that inspires us too. There are thousands of people who have become successful using unscrupulous means. We don’t get inspired by them. Even your father or a friend could be an inspiration. Not because they are rich and successful, but maybe because they never lie, or are hardworking or are always there for you.

It doesn’t Need to be Big

You don’t necessarily need to climb Everest to be inspiring. It could be really simple things. Like learning to read and write at the age of 80, finishing a novel you’ve been working on for years, quitting your job to open a restaurant, taking care of your ill mother. Any activity that is done with all your heart will be an inspiration to others.

Putting Others before You

Mother Teresa was a saint, not because she always dressed in white and smiled at everyone, but because she sacrificed everything for others. She always put others before her. Give up the larger chunk of apple pie to your sibling, let your friend go to Disneyland instead of you because he can’t afford or, on your birthday, instead of spending thousands of rupees on a party and getting drunk, go to an orphanage and play with the children there. The day you start giving up what you love for others, that’s the day people will start looking up to you and will get inspired. But this doesn’t mean you pretend to give just to be admired. You really should want to do it.

Humbleness 

Even after being so immensely successful, Sachin and Lata are both incredibly humble human beings. There’s not an iota of pride in their voice when they speak in public. That’s one of the most important traits one needs to inspire others. The more successful you become, the richer you get, more humble you should be.

Start giving, and serving others selflessly and sooner or later, people will start admiring you for the person that you are.