Today I was in a meeting and I looked over the Director’s desk and saw a plaque that read: “Inspire: fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something”. I thought to myself, “Self, that sounds a lot like motivation to me. What’s the difference?” Luckily the meeting was over and the director didn’t notice the bemused look on my face as I contemplated this question. I decided that I was needed to establish and understand the difference (if there is one). So, I started with Webster’s Dictionary.
MOTIVATE: To provide with a motive. Impel. (Impel = to urge or drive forward or on by or as if by the exertion of strong moral pressure)
INSPIRE: To influence, move or guide by divine or supernatural inspiration.
From these definitions, and from my own personal experience, motivation is more about pushing to do something that’s hard or a challenge. For example, starting and accomplishing a workout regimen or following through and finishing a difficult assignment or task. Inspiration, on the other hand, is following a magnetic pull to do something you are drawn to…usually something fun or positive: learning to paint or trying a new recipe, for example.
So I had my answer. Motivate is a “push”, while inspiration is a “pull”. Neat, huh? But as soon as I answered my first question, another one took its place: Is it a leader’s job to MOTIVATE or INSPIRE? And do motivation and inspiration come from within a person… or from someone or something else? What do you think?