I seek inspiration

As I have talked about before, I try to find inspiration in many things. I’m not just looking for inspiration for me, but to try and inspire people around me.

If you have been following along in my life, or just stopped by: today I got to check off the first person on my “people I want to meet” list. Rudy Giuliani. Note: my list is not a numbered list, he was just the first one of many to come that I got to meet. This milestone is just me crossing the starting line in my race to understand what it is that inspires me about the people on my list; and find a way to integrate those principles of inspiration into my own life so that I may one day inspire others.

This isn’t about becoming someone I’m not, or trying to emulate someone while neglecting my own self. It’s about refining my own views and beliefs while learning and understanding others. The scary part is when I find many views I have had for a long time are the same as those I admire. Sometimes I feel it’s common sense and other times I think I needed reassurance that I was seeing things correctly.

I have a strong desire to become a CEO coach or executive leadership trainer. I feel that many managers, executives, politicians and even religious leaders lack certain skills to portray their personal vision concisely to the people listening to them. This is where my personal investment in inspirational research can pay off; I just need to take good notes.

Today I attended the Luminary Series: Principles of Leadership event. While much more information could be gained by reading the book; I enjoyed the event. I felt I got to know a little more about Rudy by listening to him speak; after all you need to be able to sell your ideas in person, not just in print. I was pleased that I was called on during the Q&A [Question & Answer] session…I got a little more insight into the “morning meeting” that I wanted. My question was a little bit of a loaded question because I wanted to see how he answered it; he passed my little test. From what I can tell (what do I know?) he’s a very genuine person and not milking the 9/11 disaster for money as many like to claim. One cannot ignore the reduction in crime that statics prove; nor the unorthodox ideas of bringing small business concepts to the public [government] sector. Those small business tactics paid off for Rudy. weather it was luck or a well managed idea with a well working team; I say a little of both. Warren Bennis would say that luck plays a factor because a strong leader that is well prepared can create his/her own luck. Rudy did just that.

I found that Rudy looked to Churchill’s life for strength in hard times and he found inspiration in one of my favorite politicians, John F. Kennedy. There are two JFK books Rudy talks about in his book that are also on my “too read” list; when I read them I’ll post a review.

I went looking for and ounce of inspiration and I found truck loads. Thanks Rudy, I needed that.

“I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled [poets] to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.”
– Socrates