I must confess, with over a decade’s worth of these weekly posts now stored within the clouds of technology, I am frequently tempted to fly back and float among them to savor the meaningful messages they conjure. That’s what happened this week as I floated across an email I originally posted in July 2011.
I had begun crafting my weekly endeavor more than three years before and, up until that July 2011 message, they were all referenced as Weekend Motivation. This email inaugurated a subtle change. It was the week I chose to rename my Friday post: Weekend Inspiration.
What inspired that change?
The previous couple of weeks, I had been following a news report which had garnered national attention. Christian Lopez, the 23-year-old cell phone salesman from Highland Mills, New York, who, as a devoted fan of the New York Yankees baseball team, was in attendance at his team’s game on Saturday, July 9th when Derek Jeter made his historic 3,000th career hit. In fact, Christian caught the ball.
Estimates were that the potential value of that ball in the sports memorabilia marketplace could go as high as $250,000. Instead of cashing in, Lopez decided to return the ball to Jeter. This act of apparent selfless generosity touched off a debate that was still raging days later when it came time to craft my weekly missive.
What kind of person would give this ball back rather than sell it to the highest bidder for a payday rumored be as high as $250,000? What could possibly have motivated Christian Lopez to do such a thing?
Pondering that, I began thinking that week about whether Christian was compelled by motivation to act as he did or whether, instead, he allowed inspiration to use him. That further spurred me to deliberate as to the considerable distinction between the two.
Motivation typically comes from a place of fear. It nurtures an attitude of scarcity and self-concern – I am influenced to act because if I don’t I will lose some reward or incentive attached to that act or, in the alternative, I will suffer some penalty, damage, or negative consequence if I do act. Inspiration, on the other hand, comes from a place of abundance, service, and love with no strings attached – I love you so I will act in a manner that rewards you no matter what the cost to me or without any thought of any cost.
Motivation is an external force while inspiration is an internal one. Motivation is focusing on the external – a goal, an outcome, an achievement; Inspiration is focusing on the internal – energy and intuition. Inspiration is being in the spirit or in connection with a higher being. Inspiration leads us to God while motivation inexorably leads us to ourselves. Therefore, when we are motivated, we tend to be driven to serve ourselves first, and when we are inspired, our tendency is to serve others first. Motivation emanates from the fear that is inside us; inspiration springs from the love dwells inside us.
Motivation can be difficult and is often fleeting because, essentially, we must do all of the work ourselves. Inspiration, on the other hand, is when we let go and let God work with us and through us. When we allow ourselves to be inspired, we are not alone; we are guided and supported by, as Abraham Lincoln put it “the better angels of our nature.”
I am certainly not denigrating either the power or the need for motivation as a tool in gaining positive results in your life or your business. But, what consumes you? What resonates most with you? Would you rather motivate or inspire people around you? Would you rather be inspired or motivated by those around you?
Those that question with incredulity why Christian Lopez would forego a fortune for an act of selflessness are consumed by their worldly motivation for reward. Christian, led by a higher power, was inspired to reach for an entirely different level of prosperity and reward rooted in selflessness and servanthood. Is there any wonder why is name is Christian?
So that, dear friends, is why, over a decade ago, the Weekend Motivation banner disappeared from these weekly homilies, evermore to stand in the shadow of Weekend Inspiration.
Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones. – Phillip Brooks
Have an AWE-full weekend!
William “Bill” Bacque