I was catching up with a good friend the other day. We were casually discussing life – work, family, etc. – when he suddenly asked, “What inspires you? I mean, how do you motivate yourself to take action?”
The question came out of the blue. A moment earlier we were talking about something mundane – I cannot even remember what it was. And then he cornered me with that question. My response was “I never quite thought about it.” We changed topics and went back to our casual conversation.
His question stuck with me. I thought about it and felt like I needed to write my response. Here it is:
I have been given so much and I feel obliged to give back – to my family, to my community, and to myself. I owe it to myself and to others to give it my best in everything I do.
What inspires me is that I could be an inspiration to others – to my younger brother, to my friends, to my colleagues at work, and to my fellow human beings.
I feel responsible. As a husband, as a son, as a friend, as a writer. I feel responsible to be honest, just, and dependable.
I also feel most fulfilled when I give it my all in everything I do. Excellence is not an end destination for me, but a way of life.
By knowing that others are counting on me, I feel a sense of responsibility towards them – because what I do, or don’t do, becomes a part of my legacy.
This, my dear friend, is what inspires me to act.