Who Do You Use as Inspiration in Business?

byKyle

2.4M followers

Updated 8 years ago

I get this question all the time. Who inspires me in the business world?

As simple as that sounds, I feel a lot of internal complexities when I try to determine whom really inspires me and that has played an influential role in my decision making, in Wealthy Affiliate, and overall, in how you conduct yourself within the business world.

So I wanted to take some time to reveal some of the people that have served as the most inspirational roles in my life, perhaps offering you some insight into people that you might want to follow if you already aren't.

Too many people look to the " portrayed rich" for inspiration. Unfortunately many folks that are either rich or portray themselves as being rich have many character flaws by how they conduct themselves and/or how they "became" rich.

Does that make them bad people, no. Does it make them inspirational figures to me and my direction I take when making "business" decisions, definitely not.

People that I respect and that have served as an inspiration are those that conduct themselves in a way where they achieved what they have through hard work and through become a master of their trade, not focusing purely on the money part, but the money aspect being a result of their expertise.

My Top 5 Most Influential Inspirations in My Business

Here is a "short list" of the main inspirations that I have had through my life (outside of family, whom are and will always be inspirational to me...but that is a given).

Malcolm Gladwell. Making something out of nothing. Taking an obvious idea and revealing some of the most spectacular obscurities from it. Mr. Gladwell is a creative genius (author) and I have followed his works for many years, from the New Yorker days. Some of the most thoughtful, forward thinking discussions that we are having today is a result of Malcolm Gladwell and his masterful writing. His work will take you to your "tipping point".

Michael Jordan. I personally grew up reading and watching everything I could get my hands on in relation to Michael Jordan. Unquestionably the best basketball player to ever live, MJ got caught from his high school team only to go on to win several championships with the Chicago Bulls with what could be deemed as 'mediocre' teams.

To become the best, you have to be willing to work harder than others whom are also trying to be the best. That is something that Michael Jordan instilled in me.

Louis C.K. I appreciate any comedy. Comedy is a creative art, but unlike other types of art it can be the exact same thing but if the delivery of it is slightly different, it can create brand new art. If you can't be humble and laugh at yourself at times, be hard on yourself, and laugh a little, you are going to have a tough time coping with business. A comedic genius and one that broke down many industry "norms", I appreciate Louis CK and he is definitely a strange, yet important influence.

Jony Ive. Perhaps one of the most influential industrial designers of our time (he would be appalled by the design of my blog lol), he is an inspiration in not just the things he comes up with (iPhone, Apple Watch to name a few), he is a thought leader in terms of what ID truly means.

If you cannot understand the "people" that you are delivering your product to and the intricacies of how they interact with what you are doing, your design is going to be poor. Whether you are in the software business or the watch making business, design should be at the forefront of your thought process.

People With Ethics. These come in all shapes, sizes, genders, and ethnicities. People that conduct themselves in a way that is selfless and for the "better" of humanity are people that I respect and that influence me on a day to day basis. I am fortunate in the sense that I get to work with 1,000's of people on a daily basis through the Wealthy Affiliate platform (and through the online space in general) which fit into this class. YOU are an inspiration to me. :)

Some say, surround yourself with wealthy people if you want to become wealthy. Well that may be the case (I don't agree), I personally would prefer to surround myself with kind spirited, helpful and ethical folks. There is no better motivation or driving force being surrounded by people like this.

Why No Internet Marketers on the List?

As funny as it sounds, my inspiration has never come from this area. Someone whom I respect, is someone whom adds value to other people's lives in an unconditional sort of way. This can come from any arena.

Yes, there are many I respect in this industry and that have truly put their craft before anything else, but there are many that are in the business with the only focus of making money (not helping others). Many.

Any successful individual is, in one way another, naturally marketing themselves via their "craft" (simply by doing it). They don't need to give themselves a title of "stature". I respect anyone that can be great at their craft because it is their actions that showcase their brilliance. It's not what one thinks of who they are.

My recommendation to anyone reading this, is to be a leader. Work to be the best you can be, regardless of what it is you are working on...and do so in a way that is ethical and puts the PEOPLE first, not you. If you can do that, your business, your following, and the level of trust people have for you will ensue.

I always find it interesting to hear about other people's inspiration in business, those that are just getting rolling and those that are establish. Who would make your "top 3" in the inspirational category?