Characters are what make a person. They define who you are and what you would become – whether to be a commendable inspiration for others to follow or a disappointment. We often hear heart-moving stories about inspirational people such as the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Mel Robbins, Emma Watson, etc. They are perhaps among those people we look up to apart from our parents.
What made them truly notable are their distinct qualities. Inspirational people are often characterized as believers of themselves and of others. Aside from that, there’s more. Here are among those leading qualities of inspirational people share in common.
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Table of Contents
1. They are driven and committed
Giving up is not in their vocabulary. They understand that with these great visions comes a great responsibility. They know that they have to make sacrifices and commit most of their time working on their dreams. They may stumble in their path to success, but that’s just it. They dust themselves and get back on track.
2. They are courageous even in times of fear
Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, once said that Life is cruel and it’s cruelest to the weak. Indeed, in times of fear, most of us tend to succumb or give in to its power. But an inspirational person doesn’t do that. She has the courage and she uses it to achieve her dream. In spite of fear, she moves forward and never backs down.
3. They have integrity
We all admire people with integrity. Integrity is one of the great qualities an inspirational person has. It is doing what is must even if no one’s looking. She understands that honesty in all her work matters more than anything else. She gains the trust and confidence of others around him. In some way, she is also inspiring others to do the same.
4. They are strong-willed
Strong-willed people are not easily daunted or discouraged when life does not treat them well. Instead, they take that as a challenge. Their determined nature, which they honed from years and years of practice, makes them stand out in the crowd and succeed. They are fierce warriors and they follow through with their targets.
5. They continuously seek self-growth and development
Learning is a continuous and a lifetime process for inspirational people. They are like philosophers; they seek knowledge and ways to enrich their abilities. For them to continue growing, they invest in educating themselves. They sign up for some online courses and they even join clubs. They recognize the fact that there is more to what they currently have.
6. They are sympathetic to others
One of the prominent qualities of inspirational people is their ability to really pay attention to others. They lend a sympathetic ear. Most of us are too wrapped up in our own little world that we fail to see what is going on around us; that some of the people we care about need us. Life is not perfect but inspirational people strive to spare time for others to truly understand where they are coming from.
7. They are expressive
Because of their bold personality, inspirational people are not afraid to express themselves. More often than not, they share what they know and they can be very blunt at some point. They do not do this to offend others but they do so with the aim of helping those who may be confused with or lost in their life.
8. They believe in the power of teamwork
Michael Jordan has this to say, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships”. This is true to people who seek great results. Collaboration for them is an indispensable element for a team to thrive and achieve success. They brainstorm and encourage their members to share their inputs. They discuss and innovate together. As a result, they could achieve the success they have been yearning for.
9. They are good communicators
Great communicators are well-rounded people; they have comprehensive knowledge on various subjects. They are aware that to be able to mingle and socialize with others, they have to have substantial ideas on different topics. Not only that, they listen first and pay attention before they speak. They connect emotionally to people of whom they are speaking with at the moment.
10. They are not afraid to show vulnerability
For them, they view vulnerability as a sign of strength. It is a part of our humanity. That we are flawed and make mistakes after all. They understand that by sharing their other side would inspire people to work more comfortably with them. Likewise, they believe that vulnerability breeds creativity and more innovations. Showing that they don’t know it all would encourage others to share what they know.
11. They practice authenticity
Being genuine is truly liberating and it shows someone else’s confidence. Thus, for inspirational people, they choose to be themselves – to be true to others. They embrace their different personality shades. They do away from faking their style just to conform to the standards set by the society. Their authenticity makes people gravitate towards them.
12. They listen to their intuition
Studies show that intuition is the highest form of intelligence. It is the so-called “gut feeling”. It is that tiny voice in your head telling you that something is right or wrong. Inspirational people know by heart the benefits of listening to their intuition in their daily life. It is a must in decision-making. But intuition requires sharpening. Thus, they do the brain work. They strive to read as much various topics as they can.
13. They are considerate to others
Inspirational people mind their manners. They are trained to act accordingly, in public and in the private side of their life. To be able to understand others, they show empathy by putting themselves in their shoes. Most of all, they offer a helping hand whenever it is necessary.
14. They uplift one another
Everybody needs someone to encourage or support them. For inspirational people, uplifting others does not only make them feel good but it gives them a sense of purpose. Their action of helping others creates a positive ripple throughout the community, inspiring others to make a difference by simply lending a helping hand with their kind words.
15. They see good in people
Oftentimes, when we are consumed with anger or annoyance, we seem to see only one thing – that is, how bad people around us are. However, for inspirational individuals, they go all-out and see good in people. They understand why other behave the way they are; that behind those negatives sides of them lies a truly good nature of a person.
16. They are realistic
For inspirational people, their vast experience taught them that having a realistic perspective help them get by easily. They know that life happens; that sometimes they experience some failures and that is okay for them. By being realistic, inspirational people are prepare for what is to come and ready to act on them.
17. They value others’ input
The success of inspirational people is determined by their relationship with others in their team. They recognize the significance of each member’s input. They genuinely do this to seek fresh ideas and come up with better outputs. As a result of showing interest in others’ thoughts, they create a better environment where ideas are shared openly.
18. The seek for advice
Seeking advice is an effective tool to make better decisions and come up with more favorable results. In fact, those who are open to guidance succeed. No wonder inspirational people attained their status in life as they are always willing to learn most especially from others. It is daunting to do this but we just have to do it anyway. After all, we all want to be able to resolve a certain problem.
19. They are humble
One extraordinary character of inspirational people is humility. They may have more in life, but they don’t boast about it. They acknowledge their strengths as well as their weaknesses and they even credit their peers for their success. They know that had it not been for the help of those people around them, they would not have reached where they are now.
20. They build their network
Most researchers have discovered that those who are well connected are the most prosperous in business and life in general. Inspirational people invest in their relationship with their peers professionally and personally. Networking for them is one of their ways to achieve a lifelong career development. It also keeps them updated on the latest business trend and meets some prospective partners.
21. They share words to inspire others
Inspirational people go the extra mile to motivate others – utilizing their talents such as blogging or vlogging. They write and share their experiences in hopes of making a difference in the life of others. Their wisdom and knowledge encourage people to come up with their own vision as well.
22. They evaluate themselves
Inspirational people love evaluating themselves. As they aim to continuously grow and develop their abilities, they take some time off to step back and assess what they have achieved so far. Self-evaluation helps them to increase their productivity level even more as well as their leadership skills.
23. They are globetrotters
Travelling brings you to places you have never been before. It teaches you to appreciate various and unique cultures of different groups of people around the world. Inspirational people spare time to travel either domestically or internationally. They do not only seek pleasure but they also yearn to expose themselves to other people’s rich cultures.
24. They stay curious
Isaac Newton had this to say – “What we know is a drop, what we don’t know is an ocean”. People who are curious create more innovations. They have broader perspective as they aim to view things in different angles. Their inquisitive nature makes them understand the world and the people around them.
25. They are open to new possibilities
Being open to new possibilities out there makes it easier for inspirational people encounter favorable opportunities. They keep their doors open and they are not afraid to accept new challenges. As a result, they can have new experiences that help them hone and polish themselves even more.
26. They are flexible
As an old adage goes, nothing is set in stone. Every little thing in life is subject to change. That is why inspirational people are known for their adaptability and flexibility. When they know that things are not going well, they shift and change their paradigm – their pattern – to be able to fit in the situation.
27. They put others first
It is indeed true that happiness is something we cannot buy nor value in money. Happiness is defined by our good actions to people. At most times, the strength of an inspirational person comes from his golden heart. By putting other people’s need first, he is giving hope to humanity – that there is always good in people.
28. They turn their wounds into wisdom
Business mogul and well-esteemed TV personality Oprah Winfrey is the epitome of an inspirational person. As a woman of color, she had her fair share of discrimination. But those did not deter her to become what she is now. Inspirational people’s key to survival is turning their wounds into wisdom and wisdom into good deeds.
29. They don’t settle for anything less
Mediocrity is never a word for inspirational people. For them, life is way too short to even settle for less than what they truly desire. They are limitless and they always keep an eye on excellence. They do their job with the best of their ability which makes them high-performing members in their company or in the society.
30. They are spiritually driven
According to an article released by the University of Minnesota, USA, spirituality, in its general sense, includes a sense of connection to something bigger than us. It involves seeking the meaning of our life. People who are spiritually driven listen to their highest self – their purpose – to guide them in life. They are always energetic and motivated because they don’t focus on the material ones. They focus on more important things – those that bring them lifelong happiness.
OVER TO YOU
With all those qualities of inspirational people we listed and discussed, we hope you feel more inspired. Indeed, we learn everyday – from our own experience or from others. It may take ages before we can develop some of these qualities inspirational people have; let’s be bold anyway. Know that you are an inspiration to others yourself. As you go on with your life, remember these words from Mother Theresa – go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.
I really needed this article for myself. Really needed some kind of inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing it.😇
I’m glad this article was timely. Thank you for reading 🙂
I am loving this post! I think we all have the capacity to me inspiring to ourselves first then to other people 🙂
Yes we do 🙂
These are all very good and admirable qualities to have, I hope to pose most of these if not already.
I strive to have all of these qualities, but sometimes I wish I didn’t. It seems like most people who lie, cheat or steal get further in life than those who have these. Sometimes… not all the time though.
Its hard to find people who has this qualities. That’s why when I find one, I make sure to build and maintain a relationship with them
What an inspiring list for people to look up for to become inspirational people!
Having people to aspire to be like really helps. If they can do great things, we absolutely can as well. I loved the list cause it helped me realize what other traits i should work on lol
A fantastic breakdown of what makes these people so inspirational. I think every aspect you’ve listed is something we all should work on at some point in our lives.