Inspiration VS Motivation

Inspiration VS Motivation ~

We often use the words inspiration and motivation to mean the same thing. But, they’re actually different.

Before I go into that, I want to remind you how important words are. Words are powerful. Years ago, I leaned the value in consciously choosing my thoughts and the words that I speak because what we think and what we speak is matters. And I strongly believe that we can help set ourselves up for success by becoming more conscious of our thoughts and words.

More posts on the importance of your words:

To Give or To Take

Just Do

Don't 'Should' Yourself

Invest Your Time

Now back to inspiration and motivation. We think of them as being the same thing, however they actually aren’t.

Motivation ~

Motivation is derived from the word motive and motive means a reason for doing something.

Motivation is defined as a motivating force, stimulus, or influence.

And interestingly, motivation happens in the brain. In fact, it’s strongly influenced by a part of the brain called the amygdala.

The amygdala plays an important role in emotion and behavior. It’s also the part of the brain that drives the fight/flight response that’s associated with fear and stress. In other words, when you feel fear or stressed, the body goes into fight/flight. That response is driven by the amygdala which is also the part of the brain associated with motivation.

This is why motivation doesn’t last. Motivation peaks and drops. The same way that when you feel fear or stressed, there’s a rush of adrenaline that goes through your body and then the adrenaline drops.

To explain it in a real-life scenario, let’s say you want to eat healthier and clean up your diet, you might even have a weight goal in mind. You’re thinking about it, then perhaps you see something online or talk to somebody and it sparks a feeling of motivation in you. Now it’s gone from something you’re thinking about doing, to a feeling of being excited and ready to go. You’re going to do it!

And you do eat healthier, for a short time. It isn't long before that energized, ready to go feeling that got your started, starts to slide. You begin feeling feeling it less and less. The less motivated you’re feeling, the less healthier you’re eating. And after a few weeks, you’re right back in your unhealthy eating habits. Sound familiar?

You see, motivation is great at getting you started, but it won’t keep you going. Inspiration, on other hand, will keep you going.

Inspiration ~

One of the definitions from Merriam-Webster of inspiration is, "The quality or state or being inspired."

The word inspired comes from the two words ‘in’ and ‘spirit’, in other words it means to be in spirit. Dr. Wayne Dyer has been famously quoted as saying, “When you are inspired by something, it means that you are living in line with your spirit.”

What makes inspiration so different from motivation is that inspiration is felt in body. It’s not a mental thing, it’s a visceral thing, which makes it have way more lasting power.

When you feel inspired, you’re far more likely to continue with whatever it is you’re wanting to achieve.

This is why you want to feel inspired. You want to feel what you desire in your body. You want it to be a part of you. When it is, it whatever it is that you’re working towards, will feel like less of a chore.

Now the question becomes, how do I feel inspired? How do I find inspiration? There's so many ways! To get you started, here's a few suggestions.

7 Ways to Help Feel Inspired:

Get Quiet and Listen Within Every Day ~

You don’t want to listen to your mind chatter, you want to pay attention to what you’re feeling in your body. The only way to do this is to get still and be quiet. Get in the habit of giving yourself time every day to be still, to be quiet, and to let go of the distractions going on around you. When you do this it helps you to tune in and connect with your body. For more on how to do this, check out this post, Meditation ~ Tips and Benefits.

Create Vision Boards ~

Vision Boards are really powerful and when you create them from your heart, they offer a fantastic visual for keeping that inspired feeling alive within you.

Make sure to hang your vision board in a place where you'll see it daily. Give yourself a moment each day to look at your vision board and feel the feelings that the words, images, and phrases bring to you. Click here for more on Vision Boards.

Work with a Mentor or Coach ~

Hire someone to work with you and help you achieve your goals. Coaching and mentoring programs have been around for decades and I’m sure that they’ll always be around, because they’re so beneficial. Over the years I’ve worked with so many different coaches and had many different mentors in my life. I’m always willing to invest in these services because I know that it pays back in dividends. When you’re working with a really good coach or mentor, they'll keep you so inspired, you'll accomplish things you had no idea you could accomplish! Click here for more on my Coaching Program.

Surround Yourself with Inspiring People ~

Piggybacking on working with a coach or mentor, you also want to surround yourself with those who you inspire you. You can do this by seeking out stories from those you find inspiring; search them online, listen to their podcasts, watch and listen to them in interviews, read their books or books about them.

Enjoy Nature Every Single Day ~

Sit outside and enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. Even better, walk in nature. Not only will this help increase your movement, studies have long shown that walking in nature helps clear your mind, improve your mood, and stimulate creative thinking. It’s very effective at reducing stress and depression. And enjoying a walk in nature is also very inspiring! Artists, writers, and designers use the beauty of nature for inspiration all the time. I can’t go for a walk on the beach or on a hiking trail without feeling inspired.

Journal ~

I always say journaling helps rid the mind of chatter and get to the heart of the matter. Journaling is a fantastic way to get out of your logical thinking brain and sink into your feeling body. When you do, you can’t help but feel more inspiration. Click here for more on the power of journaling.

Release Your Comfort Zone ~

There’s a great quote from John Assarf, “A comfort zone is beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.”

It’s so true, right? Nothing ever changes in your comfort zone. Staying in the same old, same old, will keep you feeling the same. If you want to feel different, you need to do something different. If you aren’t currently feeling inspiration in your life and you want to be, change things up. This doesn’t mean you have to do something huge. It could be something as simple as taking a different route when going somewhere or listening to a new kind of music. Be willing to try to new things, listen to new ideas, experience something new. Doing so can be very inspiring.

There are so many ways to keep feeling inspired every day. What are some of the ways you find inspiration in your life? Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

If you've enjoyed this blog, I'd greatly appreciate you sharing it so that others can benefit from reading it as well. Thank you.

Looking for more tips to help you live well? Check out Your Live Well Journey - The Podcast, every episode offers ways to help you improve your self-care.