

Why Inspiration Matters (my response to "Why Inspirational Talks Don't Work") - jasonshen
http://www.jasonshen.com/2011/why-inspiration-matters/

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alexshye
I agree. I think what anyone needs for success or change (both personal and
professional) is hope and grit. It takes hope to take the first steps in any
positive direction. It takes both hope and grit to continue taking steps, even
through tough times.

Inspiration matters because it creates hope.

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Apocryphon
I wonder if there can be a third side to this debate. How about Thomas Edison:
"Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration."

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cjwake
Good to see you back at it! And nicely said.

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dreamdu5t
I think the OP misses the point.

Inspirational talks don't work because inspiration is natural and emergent.
Inspirational talks have often _convinced_ me of an idea, but have never
_inspired_ me. Which is weird, because I have heard many speeches or talks
that weren't inspirational talks, and yet they were inspirational!

You have to inspire people, not give them reasons to be inspired. There's a
big difference, and all of the inspirational talks I've been to were presented
as the latter.

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jasonshen
My point is that when you hear stories of other people doing incredible things
and feel that you can relate to them - it inspires you to be better, to act
differently and to make changes in your life - in a natural and emergent way.

Books like Born to Run, talks like The Last Lecture and movies like Miracle
and Hoosiers are inspirational and that's not at all a bad thing.

"Inspirational talks have often convinced me of an idea, but have never
inspired me. Which is weird, because I have heard many speeches or talks that
weren't inspirational talks, and yet they were inspirational!"

I think we are splitting hairs. A talk that inspires is an "inspirational
talk". Some talks inspire certain people and not others, just as some foods
don't taste good to me and some web apps don't do what I need them to.

Maybe you've just gone to the wrong inspirational talks.

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Hisoka
Inspiration can't trump genes, or biology. You need inspiration to work with
your genes to produce positive action. If you hate your work, and hate working
hard, inspiration won't work. It won't help you lose weight when you hate
exercise, and hate eating healthy either.

