To My Magnificent Agents, Staff, and Friends:
After more than three years of creating and sending out my Weekly Motivation, you may note what seems a subtle change. This week and forever more I have chosen to rename my Friday post Weekly Inspiration. What inspired this change?
I’m sure that many of you followed the recent news report of 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 that 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 still raging among fans days later: Who would give this ball back rather than sell it to the highest bidder for a payday that was rumored as high as $250,000? What could possibly have motivated Christian Lopez to do such a thing?
Pondering just that, I began thinking this week about whether Christian used motivation to act or whether he allowed inspiration to use him. That further spurred me to consider 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 I don’t commit certain acts because I fear I will suffer some penalty, damage, or negative consequence if I do. 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 the cost.
Motivation is an external force while inspiration is an internal force. 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. This is why 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 comes from the fear inside us; inspiration comes from the love inside us.
Motivation can be difficult and often fleeting because essentially we have to 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 in order to gain positive results in your life or your business. But, what consumes you? Which do you resonate with? Do you want to motivate or inspire the people around you? Would you rather be motivated than inspired?
Those that question with incredulity why Christian Lopez would forego fortune for an act of selflessness are consumed and resonate with selfish motivation. Christian, led by a higher power, was inspired to reach for an entirely different level of prosperity and reward rooted in selflessness and servant hood. Is there any wonder why he is named Christian?
“Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones.”
– Phillip Brooks
Have an AWE-full weekend!
Bill