Do you know who you inspire? Do you realize how many people are watching what you are doing and being inspired each day by your words and actions? For many of us, it’s not something we think about daily, but we are having an impact. There are people who watch what we are doing and learn from our approach.
I had a strong realization about this as I was on my Peloton one morning. I was having a stressful week and I really didn’t want to get up and work out; I was in a funk. But I did, and for those of you who don’t know what Peloton is, it’s a spin bike that is connected to live and virtual classes via a TV screen monitor; you feel as though you are in the studio with the instructor.
On this given morning I selected a ride from one of my favorite instructors as I always do because she pushes me, and I like her attitude and approach, but this ride ended up being was different. It’s almost like she knew the kind of week I was having, the doubts, the impostor syndrome, the frustrations. She spoke to me the whole ride. Now, I’m not crazy, I know she wasn’t talking to me – she was probably talking to herself a bit, and to hundreds of other people in the same mindset I was in. It didn’t matter because she was inspiring me to keep going, to do more, to get out of my head and be proud of what I have accomplished and where I’m at. She reminded me of the amazing journey I’m on and how not every minute or every hour is perfect, but it is all part of the journey.
And here’s the interesting thing – that Peloton instructor will likely never meet me, but the impact she had on my day and my week was immense.
It was at that moment that I realized that everyday we have the opportunity to inspire people – those who know us and those who we have never met and maybe never will. Whether it’s in the line at the grocery store, or how we respond to an issue at the office, what we say to our family members, or what we choose to post or comment on in our social media feeds. People are watching and we are having an impact on people we may or may not ever know.
So, my question for you is – who are you inspiring? I challenge you to think about that and take inventory of the people who are watching what you do. As leaders in our businesses, we have employees, peers, managers, young professionals who are all watching us walk the walk. As parents, coaches, community volunteers, we have kids and adults who are watching how we react to a situation or handle an issue. Let’s make sure that what we are doing, even in the tough times, is inspiring people by how we respond.
The quote that is on the wall of my office reflects this perfectly – BE the change you want to see in the world. Don’t just talk about it, inspire people to action by the action that you take.
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