Do inspiration and motivation matter? – Part 1

“You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible” — Deepak Chopra

Using the words of Scott Kaufman (1991), the power of inspiration is the real driving force towards helping us achieve the goals we want in life. Kaufman says “Inspiration not only boosts dopamine levels in the brain, which explain the increase in motivation and positive feelings, but it also allows us to transcend our ordinary experiences and limitations and is a strong driver of the attainment of our goals, productivity, creativity, and well-being.”{{more}}

Inspiration is everywhere – from the words of your favourite writer to the waves of the ocean breaking at the shore. We just need to open our eyes and breathe it in. The implication which comes with doing such, however, is that as we are inspired, we have to be equally responsible and ready to perform with excellence. Failing to do such, our inspiration will be wasted.

Imagine being able to harness the power of inspiration to propel you with positivity through a long day in the office – and towards goals that you previously felt were beyond your reach; you achieve a high degree of fulfillment and a further desire to go higher.

It is scary to feel uninspired. The lack of inspiration strikes fear into the hearts of many; when students for instance, face an assignment or test, a blank sheet of paper and a ticking clock, the fear of failure can imprison inspiration. I can remember countless times, sitting nervously in an exam hall, trying hard not to be distracted by others frantically scribbling as if their lives depended on it, whilst I was casting around for something, anything worth saying. Then out of nowhere it seems, an inspiring thought comes and immediately the flood of insightful responses start flowing and my inspiration to not only complete the exam comes, but I am further inspired toward achieving the highest score….and guess what? Because I studied and prepared, I was able to get the best scores and GPA.

There are many benefits associated with an inspired person. The inspired person will be able to:

Generate new ideas

Create healthy competition

Open their eyes to possibilities and think ‘outside the box’

Teach and motivate others

(To be continued next week)

Prepared by

Dr Jozelle Miller

Health Psychologist

Milton Cato Memorial Hospital