Most of my inspirational motivational speaker friends would agree with me that motivation is nothing but a fleeting experience. It is like a caffeine boost. It only lasts for a moment. I am sure my words motivate others. I have heard that many times, but my ultimate goal is to provide lasting inspiration to my audiences. I believe that once you are inspired, lasting motivation will follow.

You see, lasting motivation comes from within; it’s the internal flame that sets you afire. If you can’t wake up in the morning and pep yourself up, you are in big trouble. The best way to remain internally motivated is to look for sources of inspiration. I will tell you how to do that later.

On the other hand, there is external motivation. External motivation is a lot like taking drugs. You can easily become addicted, and whatever motivates you had better be there all the time. Once the person or thing that motivated you is no longer present, you go right back to where you started. It’s a short-term feeling.

Here is a classic example: I had a boss who was power hungry. He wanted to rule with an iron fist. I am sure he had good intentions. He wanted to shine, but he used the wrong approach to motivate us. We did what he wanted us to do, but only when he was around. Had my boss possessed the gift of leadership, he would have found a way to inspire us. That’s exactly why an inspirational motivational speaker should aim to inspire instead of pure motivation.

Once inspired, we would be motivated to do an excellent job and to make your boss shine even when no one was watching. (By the way, if you are in a leadership position, here is how you can inspire others: create heartwarming stories. Do something remarkable for a couple of employees at the bottom. You will create inspirational stories that last forever.)

A second example comes to mind. Suppose you went to a multilevel marketing meeting. Right after the meeting you got very excited and pumped up. You signed up on the spot. However, unless you were truly inspired, two days later, you ended up with a nice kit and no desire to go into the business.

Does that mean multilevel marketing was a gimmick? No. It means you were motivated, not inspired. In fact, multilevel marketing is one of the best, low-cost and no-cost ways to become a millionaire in America. But you have to give it all you’ve got. You have to be inspired and refuse to let negative people rain on your parade.

Let’s face it, inspiration can last a lifetime. Do you remember a time when you were inspired either by a teacher, a friend, or a parent? Was it a movie, an autobiography, or a warm story? Years later, you are still inspired by that event. Right? I believe that once you are inspired, you will find the wherewithal to move and take action.

The next time you find yourself caught up in the moment, ask yourself whether you are bein inspired or motivated. There is a huge difference between the two. If you are waiting for external motivation to get you going day in and day out, you will always live a life of disappointment. If you are going to start something phenomenal, find the inspiration to wake up in the morning fired up and ready to go.

Here is how you can motivate yourself instead of waiting
for an inspirational motivational speaker:

1. Read autobiographies of people who have accomplished
amazing things in spite of overwhelming odds.

2. Listen to exciting speeches and sermons.

3. Draw upon the amazing stories of your parents, friends, and acquaintances. Let them inspire you.

4. Finally, draw upon the stories of successful people who have proven they can brave the storms. Ask them to share their stories with you. They’d love to do so if asked; and you will demonstrate to them that you are interested in the process—in what made them successful.

5. Read book inspirational books. It’s amazing how many people who are trying to achieve a goal without a point of reference or a map. That is what the books will do for you. Trust me on that. Books gave me the answers I needed to transform my life.

I went from being a poor immigrant with no skills in America to being a sought-after inspirational motivational speaker. Oops! I should drop the word motivational and just consider myself an inspirational speaker.

Anyway, It all boils down to this: you’ve got to believe! When you are inspired by a story, there is something on the inside of you that causes you to believe. It’s like having a little voice inside your head saying, “If Rene can do it in spite of the challenges he has faced, I believe I can too.” Do you see my point?

Somewhere, deep down inside, people who are inspired tend to have a stronger belief system in spite of the doubters around them. The next time you realize that there is no fire inside your belly to ignite your passion, look for inspiration.

Read autobiographies. Listen to great speeches and sermons. Ask successful people who have had great comebacks to share their stories with you, or to even mentor you. One day, your story will be inspiring, too!

So next time your are listening to a motivational speaker and keynote speaker, ask yourself this, “Am I being inspired or motivated?” If your speaker is an affirmation-shouting-pump-me-up-speaker, it won’t be long before you will find yourself exactly in the same mental condition you were before.