You know what fires me up and keeps me going? Hearing the words “you inspire me.”
All the feedback I get from people about my work and its impact on their life. I appreciate people who inspire me. Every creative person needs feedback, whether it’s good or bad, there is this little needy “me” that wants attention and recognition.
I wouldn’t have found design community, I wouldn’t have learned Photoshop, I wouldn’t have become a designer, I wouldn’t have become a blogger, I wouldn't have started traveling and working, I wouldn't have co-authored and self-published a book without other people.
People who inspired me to believe in myself, to push a little harder, to learn something new, to go out and meet people, to stand for myself and be proud of my goals, to help others, to be kinder, to give back, to share, to create, to serve, to inspire.
Speak Up
Next time you are touched by someone’s story, tweet, blog post, comment, photo, let them know how it made you feel, how it shaped your thinking, what thoughts it provoked, what it allowed you to experience, discover, understand. It takes the time to formulate these responses but it genuinely touches the creator. Telling someone they inspire you powers up further creations and contributes to a better world.
A Simple Thank You
Simply leave a comment, write an email and thank for the work they do, let them know your thoughts and how much you appreciate their efforts. We take all of the things for granted, people who write books, people who compose music, people who share their research and findings, people who share photos from their life, people who stand up for themselves and share their opinions.
Pay It Forward
For the extra mile, share the work that inspired you with your friends, write them a personal message, tell them how the piece affected you and inspire them, keep the inspiration chain alive and you will start noticing beautiful things happening. Most of the creators want to touch at least one soul, then it can be called a success. The next time someone inspires you, credit and thank them, let them know it was worth it.
Slow Down
It’s easy to become a consume-it-all monster and mindlessly read, watch and listen to everything internet has to offer. Slow down and appreciate what you are consuming. If you feel touched by a piece and resonate with it give credit to people who spent hours producing that work. Your ego may want to keep the credit for yourself but once you share the work and let people know who created it and how it impacted your life it becomes more personal, more authentic and more appealing to people. Easily relatable and it creates that genuine connection between you and the people who will see it.
I’d like to thank the following people for inspiring me, for making me think, believe, trust, help, learn, create, contribute, give back and love.
Mom and dad – thank you for being the best parents, supporting me in whatever I do and loving me unconditionally.
Lewis Howes - thank you for producing The School of Greatness and showing me how to become the greatest I can.
Dale Partridge - thank you for spreading the love and humanistic approach to entrepreneurship.
Steve Munroe - thank you for co-founding Hubud and delivering talks on the future of work.
Vitto Christaldi - thank you for great events including the unforgettable Startup Weekend Bali.
Arthur Bulota - thank you for co-founding Talent Garden Kaunas and pushing limits personally and professionally.
Rasa Strumskyte - thank you for a bright smile, positive attitude and inspiring hustler’s lifestyle.
Ramona Fellermeier - thank you for empowering women and spreading healthy lifestyle.
Jacques van Heerden - thank you for shaping the mindset of tomorrow’s leaders and showing how to live to the max.
Coldplay - thank you for amazing music that powers my creative work.
James Richman - thank you for mentoring me on blogging and business.
Brian Dean - thank you for the most actionable and applicable SEO content.
Nir Eyal - thank you for writing about habits, behavior and business.
Dainius Runkevicius - thank you for traveling together for three months and showing me the power of hard work.
Ivan Shulev - thank you for traveling together and pushing me to become a better person.
Marius Buivydas - thank you for traveling together and reminding me that life is not just business but people too.
Mindaugas Cesnauskas - thank you for being a great friend and Apps to Watch editor.
Misel Tekinder - thank you for helping me build Despreneur and Despreneur Academy.
Mark Manson - thank you for thought-provoking articles and books that expand my mind.
Christopher Gimmer - thank you for creative support and co-founding Snappa.
Andy Puddicombe - thank you for co-founding Headspace and spreading mindful lifestyle.
Tobias van Schneider - thank you for consistent top-class design work and incredible writing.
Rodolphe Dutel - thank you for creating Remotive and promoting remote work.
Yuri Burchenya - thank you for your creative energy you put in Despreneur.
Pete Rojwongsuriya - thank you for creating the Travelistly, BucketListly and sharing amazing photos from your travels.
Jason Zook - thank you for inspiring me to create more and think bigger.
Ilma Nausedaite - thank you for promoting the remote work culture.
Ryan Hoover - thank you for creating the Product Hunt and setting an example in the startup community.
Marina Janeiko - thank you for inspiring me to live unconventionally.
Casey Neistat - thank you for showing me how to live with courage and don’t give a damn about haters.
James Altucher - thank you for thought-provoking articles about life.
Leo Widrich - thank you for being a transparent, humble and inspiring leader.
Paul Jarvis - thank you for the amazing work you produce consistently.
Lydia Lee - thank you for setting an example of how to lead and inspire.
Prean Naidoo - thank you for your support in my spiritual journey and building Despreneur.
LeBron James - thank you for delivering the promise and being one of the most influential athletes.
Kobe Bryant - thank you for inspiring work ethic, champion’s mindset and athletic ambition.
James Clear - thank you for writing amazing content on habits, self-development and performance.
Jacob Laukaitis - thank you for showing how to dream bigger and reminding that age is just a number.
Kavi Guppta - thank you for your inspiring lifestyle and support becoming a contributor on Forbes.
Pieter Levels - thank you for creating the Nomad List and shaping the digital nomad community.
Ignas Butenas - thank you for never-ending support and positivity in your life.
Justas Markus - thank you for all the support in my creative endeavors, being honest and best friend for over a decade.
Alfred Lua - thank you for supporting me and inspiring me with your lifestyle.
Joel Gascoigne - thank you for spreading the transparent company culture.
Ramune Tumasonyte - thank you for your positivity, creativity and unconventional lifestyle.
Paulo Coelho - thank you for writing The Alchemist, Warrior of the Light, Manuscript Found in Accra and The Fifth Mountain.
Scott Dinsmore - thank you for your ideas and movement you have created. Rest in peace.
Lidiya Dervisheva - thank you for showing me how to have fun, love and dream big.
Leo Babauta - thank you for creating Zen Habits and changing my mindset with your articles.
Paula Borowska - thank you for co-authoring the Mobile Design Book together and supporting me in my creative adventures.
Malcolm Gladwell - thank you for writing incredible books like Blink and The Tipping Point.
Tim Ferriss - thank you for writing The 4-Hour Workweek and inspiring me to challenge the status quo.
Evan Williams - thank you for creating Medium and allowing me to inspire and be inspired.
Inspire Quotes
“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning.” – Brad Henry
“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” – Kobe Bryant
“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Don't be scared to fly high, 'cause it will inspire others.” – Kerli
“To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.” – Tony Dorsett
Be the Change
You may be whining in your mind now, why should I spend my time, appreciate people and share this and that? Why should I write a comment about something I read? Why should I disturb people and recommend something that I liked? Nobody has ever recommended or appreciated my work, nobody texted me and said I liked your blog post.
Be the change that you wish to see in the world. ― Mahatma Gandhi
No one ever will if you keep going with this negative mindset.
Become the initiator. Serve other people without expecting them to do the same.
Start giving without expecting anything in return and you'll see people complimenting and connecting with your work in no time.