Are you inspiring anyone? Who inspires you?


I opened up the latest edition of the Greenville Business Magazine yesterday and saw that the publisher, my pal, Lori Coon, in her Publisher's Letter, had mentioned that I had inspired her in some small way this past month. I love that. First off, I love Lori Coon for being an inspiration to me as both a fine human being and as a publisher that never loses sight of the goals of her business. She makes things happen even when the times and economy make it difficult. I am absolutely inspired by her and if I can return the favor by inspiring her in some small way, then that is just my way of saying thanks.

Who inspires you? How do they do it? What is it about them that gives you that extra boost? I think those moments and people are worth paying attention to and learning from. I think they are even worth writing down and then reviewing from time to time. 

If you wrote down a list of people who inspire you and why, how long would it be? How do you think it would make you feel? What would you do next?

No matter how successful you are at what you do, it can sometimes get hard. You have setbacks minor and not so minor. It is at those times it is nice to have a ready list of inspiring people that will both make you grateful for having them in your life. If you write down why these people are an inspiration for you, you also end up with a set of guideposts of what is important to you. As a source of inspiration it mig even be that these people are reminding you of things you would like to work on in your own life, business, or career. Get them listed. Write down who and why. Then maybe, just maybe, you should send off a thank you card or two.

About Phil Yanov

Phil Yanov is a Technologist, Columnist and Public Radio Commentator.

He is the founder of Tech After Five as well as the founder and President of the GSA Technology Council and the IT Leadership Council.

His personal technology column appears in Greenville Business Magazine and the Columbia Business Journal.

He co-hosts the Your Day technology shows heard on NPR radio stations across South Carolina and is a frequent contributor to technology stories appearing on radio and television.