Should You Ignore The Big Names?

Is it fair that many of us (if not most of us) are always searching for inspiration? Whether consciously or subconsciously, we’re looking for something that motivates us to do something spectacular, right? That’s how I feel about myself. And when you find that thing that motivates you, the feeling is special. You’re possessed. It’s as if you’re a new person on a new mission. Sometimes it’s as if you’re not even doing the work. Something else has taken a hold of you.

That something is inspiration, I suppose.

I’ve asked this question numerous times and at different places: What inspires you?

Or where do you find inspiration?

But, today, I realize that I’ve been asking only half of the question. Something to ask yourself too, is Who inspires you?

I understand that that may seem like a no-brainer. After all, if music or a book inspires you, then it should be easy to realize that the artist or the author is the person who inspires you, right? Maybe it’s so easy for you, but I can get lost in the simplest concepts sometimes.

I recently unfollowed some of the social media superstars, both on Twitter and on my RSS feed. I’m not declaring a personal vendetta against them and asking you to do the same. I am not declaring that they are frauds, I am not saying that their information is useless. But something happened that forced me to unfollow and unsubscribe.

They stopped inspiring me.

I can’t say why. I can’t say that I’ve passed them up. By no means do I claim to know more about social media than they do. I’m just an enthusiast. I do not truly utilize social media with a purpose as they do. I cannot claim to be more knowledgeable than these people who have made social media their careers.

But, I think that maybe I outgrew them. There was a time when I ate up everything they said as if it were the social media gospel. Their words and their philosophies seemed to be my own, if only I could have thought of them before they did!

But I find myself being inspired more by the people who aren’t quite superstars. The people who are still using social media to meet their goals but maybe aren’t in as big of a spotlight. They’re smart people with good ideas and great ways of expressing themselves. And for whatever reason, their works touch me more than the superstars can now.

The best message and advice means nothing if you’re not inspired to take action or at least inspired to listen and let it sink in. I understand that sometimes, especially when you’re first getting into something, you feel obligated to pay attention to the big names. And you may feel that you would be crazy to stop paying attention.

But again, if you’re not inspired, what’s the point?

If your opinion of who is inspirational and deserving of your time differs from others, don’t be afraid to let it be known.

I think many people credit The Beatles as being the best band of all-time because they hear it again and again. You’d be crazy to argue otherwise, right?

So many people call Michael Jordan the best basketball player of all-time, and that’s cool. He certainly has an impressive set of credentials. But I remember being more inspired by Peja Stojakovic than I ever was by Michael Jordan. Jordan was much, MUCH more accomplished by Stojakovic, I don’t care about that. Jordan may have a special place in many sports fans’ hearts, but Stojakovic has a place in mine. And that’s what I care about — what matters to me, not what matters to others.

So, stop worrying about who influences others. Who influences you? And if it’s not the big names that you constantly hear being thrown around, should you ignore them and turn your attention to the little people who actually inspire you?

If it isn’t obvious to you, I think you should.

Tagged as: social media