There are people who leave a lasting impression on us. They may inspire us and drive us to achieve more. When we talk to them, words fail us when we think of what to say. Here are some ways to tell these inspiring people how they’ve changed our lives.
Before You Address the Person Who Inspired You
Before you address the person who inspired you, think about what you want to say.
- Do you want to thank them for their work?
- Do you want to tell her/him how she/he inspired you?
- Do you want to tell them about your own work and ask for their advice?
- Do you need help with something that’s difficult or overwhelming right now and want them to give you advice or support?
If you know why you’ll get most of the answers you need to prepare. You’ll know how much time you’ll need, what information you can reveal about yourself, and how much you want to tell the other person about their work.
How to Show Your Gratitude
When someone has helped you, supported you, or inspired you, it’s important that you tell him/her how much they mean to you. This can be as simple as saying “thank you” or writing a letter.
There are many ways to show your gratitude; here are some ideas:
Face to Face
If you have the opportunity to thank someone in person, it’s always best to do it face to face. Thanking someone face to face can be a meaningful experience for both of you. It reminds you that the world isn’t just made up of faceless people and that your actions have real effects on other people’s lives.
Write a Letter
If you want to show your appreciation to someone who has inspired you, a letter is the best way to do it. Not only is it a great way to express your gratitude, but it’s also something the person can keep forever.
Here are some tips on how you can write a thank you letter:
- Don’t underestimate the power of words. A handwritten letter is more personal than an email and leaves a lasting impression on the recipient.
- Take time to think about what you want to say in your letter before you write it down. You don’t have to write an essay or describe in great detail why someone inspired you; just write what comes from your heart.
- Make sure your handwriting is legible and easy for the reader to understand immediately what you want to say without having to decipher your writing style!
- Keep it under a page. People are busy and it’s better to write an effective letter than a long one.
- Don’t forget to add your details so the recipient can reply to you if they want to.
Send an E-Mail
An email isn’t as effective as a letter, but it’s faster and can be effective if you’re sure the person will receive it. If you decide to send an email, make sure the subject line is clear enough so the recipient doesn’t mistake it for spam.
Connect on Social Media
Once you’ve found an inspiring person, you’ll probably want to follow them on social media.
Connecting with them on social media (if possible) gives you the opportunity to stay in touch and support the person who inspired you whenever you want.
Don’t Make It About You
If you’re talking to someone who’s already achieved a lot, don’t ask them how they did it. It shouldn’t be about you, your problems, or what you need in your life. You’ll just come across as demanding and self-centered – and that doesn’t help anyone!
It’s not just about asking questions; sometimes it’s actually more effective to listen carefully as they talk about themselves and their successes (or failures). This way, you’ll learn more about the topic than any question could’ve answered for you – not only by what was said but also by observing how excited people talk when they tell you about the things that matter most to them.
Think About Why This Person Inspired You
There are so many reasons why we love and admire people, but these are the ones that come to mind when we think about why someone inspires us:
- What’s special about their work?
- How do they make you feel?
- What values do they bring to the world and why do you appreciate them?
- What part of their background makes them unique or interesting to you?
- Why did they achieve what they did, and what does that mean for your life or career in the future?
Knowing why not only helps us formulate our approach, but also helps us better understand ourselves and what we’re looking for.
Let Them Know How They Inspired You
Let them know how they inspire you. When you tell someone that he or she’s inspired you, just say it directly. Don’t make it sound like a question or a guess by using phrases like “I’m sure” or “maybe.” Just say, “I think what you did was inspiring.” Then explain why.
If the person is someone who inspires you professionally, mention a specific thing they did that particularly impressed you. For example:
“Seeing how you handled adversity at work made me realize how much better I could do in my career.”
If it’s someone who inspires you personally, talk about something specific from their life – such as how they overcame a challenge – or something that makes them unique. For example:
“I admire how resilient you’re – this has given me the motivation and courage to work on my own resilience.”
Be Specific
People are happy to receive compliments, but they also want to know what they did that makes them worthy of the praise.
When you want to thank someone, it’s easy to fall into the trap of saying how much they helped you without being specific about what that help consisted of.
If Someone Has Inspired You, It Doesn’t Do Any Good to Tell Him or Her That. By Being Specific, You Can Help the Person Understand You Better and Build a Connection
Being specific also helps avoid awkwardness in situations where someone may not have been aware that they were doing something good for you. For example, if someone is helping out in your business, it can be hard for them to realize they’re doing a good job when all they hear is “thank you.” It’s easy to assume everything is fine when no one tells them otherwise.
When you specifically tell someone what he or she’s done for you or how grateful you’re for their help, you let them know that what they’re doing is important and make them feel like they’re part of a team.
5 Examples of Thank You Messages
1) Thank you for the encouragement and inspiration today. This has been a great help!
I’m going through a very difficult time right now and have been pretty down about everything. I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle and it’s hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel. But you always seem to know exactly what to say when I need it most.
Your words have helped me through some of my darkest times and given me strength and positive energy when I needed it most. Thank you for inspiring me on this journey.
2) Thank you for your inspirational words
Your experience with your father touched me deeply. I’m glad you shared it with us.
I think it’s important to remember our loved ones and the legacy they’ve left behind. In this case, it’s especially important because you did something for others as well.
You inspired me to do more for my community and gave me the strength and courage to keep moving forward. Thank you.
3) Thank you for being a mentor
I first met you at a conference in 2018 when I was a young researcher just starting out. You talked about your great work on the International Space Station and how it helps improve life on Earth.
Your accomplishments inspired me, and that’s helped me in my career. I also remember how kind and courteous you were to everyone. I was impressed that someone so famous was so generous with his time and so kind to everyone who approached him.
You’ve always been a role model for me – from the way you take care of your health to the way you speak publicly about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
You’re among the people who have impacted my life and the lives of thousands of others around the world. Thank you.
4) Thank you for your great guidance
When I started my career, your guidance had a great impact on my life. You were an inspiration to me.
I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn from you. You taught me that there’s no shortcut to success and that reaching your goal isn’t easy.
You’re a very helpful and supportive person in my life. Whenever I needed help or advice, you were always there for me.
I want to thank you for all the support and encouragement you’ve given me throughout my career.
5) Thank you for inspiring me to be better
I was inspired by your courageous actions. When I heard your story, I realized that I too could do something about the mental health problem.
When I saw you speak, I was touched by the way you talked about not being ashamed of your story and wanting to share it with others. It made me realize how important it’s to talk about mental health.
I want to start a conversation about mental health because I think it’s important for people to realize that they aren’t alone when they’re struggling with their mental wellness.
Thank you for inspiring me to be a better person.
Successful People Are Busy, Be Cautious of Time
The world is full of great people willing to share their knowledge and experience with you. However, it’s easy to get caught up in what we want to do and lose focus on what we should be doing. With so many distractions around us, it’s easy to lose sight of our goals and priorities in life – and then everything goes down the drain.
Having worked in many fields and with many different people, I’ve learned that time really is precious. It’s important to be mindful of how much time you spend with inspiring people or how much you ask them to read, or hear.
Especially if you’re dealing with a successful person or a famous person who is likely to have many goals, and many goals means little time to give.
If you have the opportunity to talk to someone who’s great, it’s important not to waste their time or yours by demanding too much attention from them.
I believe it’s our responsibility as humans to be aware of the importance of time management and efficiency.
How To React When Someone Tells You That You’re Inspiring
When someone tells you that you’re inspiring, it’s always nice to thank him or her. However, there are a few things you should never say when you’re told you’re inspiring.
It can be very flattering and boost your ego when someone tells you that. But it’s important that you don’t express your enthusiasm too much, or you could inadvertently come across as arrogant or conceited.
If someone tells you that they admire your hard work and the great thing you’ve accomplished, it’s best not to joke about their comments. Making jokes about admiring your work can come across as rude and disrespectful.
If someone says something positive about your work, it’s best to listen carefully and take note of the comments. That way, when you ask follow-up questions, you can respond more easily without having to think long and hard about what the person was referring to in their comment.
There are many ways you can respond when someone tells you they find you inspiring:
Say “Thank You” and Mean It
This is probably the hardest part of the process because it can feel awkward to receive a compliment. But when someone takes the time to tell you that your work or actions have inspired them, they deserve a sincere thank you.
Ask for Clarification
Sometimes people have a hard time saying why they find something inspiring. If you don’t understand, you should ask what exactly about your work or actions was inspiring so you can use that information in your own life and in future conversations with others who may also be inspired by your work.
A great way to start a conversation with someone who finds your work or actions inspiring is to share personal stories about your process and why something is important to you personally – so they can reflect on their own lives and inspire others who may have never dealt with these issues before!
Motivational Quotes
An inspirational person always comes with inspirational quotes, here are some examples:
- “The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it.” – Mother Teresa
- “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become.” Steve Jobs
- “Failure is success in progress.” – Albert Einstein
- “My father used to say that it’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said, ‘You never know what you can accomplish until you try.” – Michael Jordan
- “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller
- “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
Inspiring Video
I highly recommend giving this a watch, whether you’re looking to be inspired by an eloquent speaker or seeking to inspire others yourself.
The video is filled with invaluable advice on communication, presented in an accessible and easy-to-understand manner.
It’s a great resource for anyone hoping to refine their communication skills and inspire through dialogue.
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