I recently told a group of football captains: “Your job is to inspire your teammates.” Later, when talking to their coach, I said: “Your job is to inspire your players and fellow coaches.” Call it positivity, call it whatever you want, but when we’re around someone inspirational, we know it - we feel it. Which is why it’s so powerful. They move us.

Your job is also to inspire yourself.

So I got curious, (admission - I’m a bit of a word nerd) this definition is from Oxford Languages via Google:

in·spire. /inˈspī(ə)r/

Middle English enspire, from Old French inspirer, from Latin inspirare ‘breathe or blow into’ from in- ‘into’ + spirare ‘breathe’. The word was originally used of a divine or supernatural being, in the sense ‘impart a truth or idea to someone’.

So there you have it. I guess that’s why churches have “spires.”

So often when I’m talking to coaches, business leaders, teachers, parents and my fellow humans (after all, you could make a case that we are ALL in positions of potential leadership if we see it that way), I notice we can get caught up in the technicalities of leadership. Coaches get caught up in X’s and O’s, business leaders get caught up in metrics, numbers, data . . . parents get caught up in bedtime, curfews, school supply lists, and club sports teams. And all of that is completely necessary and understandable. Yet none if it matters without inspiration.

I’ve had the good fortune in life to spend a lot of time around some highly inspirational people. Like Mr. Santos, my little league baseball coach, whos trips to the mound and words to this young pitcher inspired. Like Kenny Gramas, who at 5’8” and 150 lbs put a college lacrosse team on his back senior year and led them to a Final 4. And he did it with a broken wrist. Kenny died at 25 heli-skiing in Europe near to where he was volunteering at an orphanage.) Like Coach Sachs, who often stopped practice so we could take in a sunset. Like Dick Duffy, my JV football coach, who once ran 50 yards down the sideline screaming at me to keep running till I reached the end zone against Exeter. Like Mr. DiNocenza, my English teacher at Tabor, who’s dedication to his craft inspired me to want to write well. Like a rising college senior, a Division 1 lacrosse player, who despite hardly ever stepping on the field, despite being subject to a coach who can only say “just keep trying,” keeps her head up, and returned to college determined to stay positive. Like so many friends and colleagues who have turned adversity into positivity.

A bit here about those un-inspirational people. Those people tend to express their fears and insecurities in their dealings with others. They tend to see the faults, rather than the gifts. They see the clouds, not the sunset. At best, their self-awareness is not developed. At worst, they suffer from mental illness which needs professional treatment.

So how do you do it? How do you cultivate a personality trait of being inspirational?

My advice might seem pretty simplistic. To become a more inspirational person, practice being inspirational. Nothing changes without practice. It begins with self awareness. Are you aware of your opportunities to inspire? Perhaps the next conversation with one of your children? Or a colleague? Or a bus driver? Maybe the next time you’re talking to an old friend you could remind them of what makes them special to you, what makes them great even. It’s always best to build on strengths, not point out deficits. That puts us in a positive emotional state and things just build from there. Can you catch yourself when you’re feeling down? Can you let go of self pity, reset to gratitude, and cultivate that resilient, winning mindset?

Of course, it’s about action, not talk. What can you do - how can you be - in the world that serves as an example for others to follow? That’s leadership.

I watched some college football this weekend. Before the games, ESPN had the coaches mic’d up, which was very cool. Before the Notre Dame - Texas A&M game, sure enough, both Marcus Freeman and Mike Elko walked around during warm ups, spewing positivity to their players. It was heartwarming to see these two guys going player to player and wishing them well. No surprise that they are great coaches.

Who can you inspire today? Start with yourself. Why not start now?

If you found this post to be helpful in any way, please forward it!

Yours in practice.

Pete

ps - Hope you catch a great sunset tonight!

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