What Are The Differences Between Inspiration And Motivation?

Odang Emmanuel🐘
4 min readApr 18, 2023

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Good coaches all over the world know that achieving the best from their team members requires having someone that leads by example. As well as providing them with the necessary resources to assist them to do their best. Nonetheless, there’s just one problem with this: many people assume that inspiration and motivation are the same thing rather they’re are not.

For you to know the difference between inspiration and motivation; here’s an example:

Suppose someone had an accident that made such an individual to loss one of her arm. As a result of what happened to such an individual she lost all hope in life. She was sacked at her work place. Due to this, she had financial problem. She became frustrated and depressed. In other to get out of her predicament she is searching for some motivation. She went to meet some motivational speakers, watch several motivational videos and tried all she could. But all the people she met and listen to have nothing to do with her present life experience. These people are complete physically. To put it in another form they have no physical disabilities that she can relate to her life. What these people were able to do was to motivate her. Motivation is temporary, in other words it doesn’t last long. It will keep you going for some hours, days, or weeks. Later such an individual will be back to her depressed situation due to her disability.

However, when such an individual met or listened to someone who had experienced the same situation she’s going through and such person had become successful what do you think will happen?

This will inspire her!

Inspiration comes from within and remain for a long time. In fact, it raises your hope. This make it to be permanent. The case of Bethany Hamilton will inspire such an individual.

Photo Credit: Daily Mail
Picture of Bethany Hamilton with her husband and children.

Want to know why Bethany Hamilton story is inspirational?

Bethany Hamilton’s story is an excellent example of resilience and determination. At the age of 13 in 2003 she was attacked by a 14 — foot tiger shark while surfing in Hawaii. Bethany lost her arm in the attack. She never allowed that traumatic occurence to define her life. A month after the attack she was back in water training. She was determined to achieve her dream of becoming a professional surfer. This woman relearned how to surf by adjusting her techniques to accommodate her physical deformity. She never allowed her disability to prevent her from becoming a successful professional surfer wininning several competitions and her story became source of inspiration to million of people all over the world.

Bethany Hamilton’s story shows that no matter what life throws at you, it is possible to rise above it and become successful. Her unwavering determination and courage made Bethany an extra ordinary role model for any person facing difficulty.

Image Source: Fox News
The photo of Bethany Hamilton holding a surf board with one hand while the other hand was completely severed.

Equally important, when you’re going through anything bad in life. Meet and listen to people who were previously in the same situation you were in presently. How they came out of such situation won’t only motivate you, it will also inspire you.

So how does inspiration differs from motivation?

On one hand, inspiration is more of a pull or driving force. It is something which comes from within which make us to proactively give our best efforts. When someone is inspired, they’re with you for a long time. When you’re inspired, you will do something which need to be done willingly and naturally. You don’t have to be force to do it. On the other, motivation is a push factor. Put it in another way, motivation is an outside force that is compelling you to do something, even if you don’t want to do it. In motivation, reward and fear can make you act or perform.

Moreso, both motivation and inspiration can drive our actions. They have the ability to completely transform our lives. Also, both motivation and inspiration are closely related words. Although most people use both of them interchangeably. But there’s a slight difference between inspiration and motivation.

In any event, in reality your success won’t depend on either motivation or inspiration. You’ll need both motivation and inspiration to be successful. Both of them will help you to be happier and more satisfied with what you’re doing. While motivation will provide you with a good beginning, the most effective way to be successful is to combined motivation with inspiration. When you are able to achieve internal change, external change won’t be difficult. In the light of this, it is time to start motivating and inspiring ourselves.

Thank you for reading all the way down!

Credit:

Michael Boyd: Against All Odds: Incredible Tales of Resilience and Courage

https://link.medium.com/X0C9xSPz6yb

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Odang Emmanuel🐘

I write what my readers need and aim to tell them what they didn't know.