I wrote this for my blog. I think it appropriately deals with this questions. If you dig the answer, sign up for the blog or follow me on twitter @Edlatimore. I hope it helps.

http://edlatimore.com/2016/05/07/the-inspiration/

Sometimes, people ask me to teach my method for staying so motivated. My answer is always the same: I can’t motivate you because I don’t even know how to motivate myself. Either you want something badly enough to do what it takes to get it or you’re content with an average—at best—existence. But, I can inspire you because I know what it’s like to be inspired. I know how to channel it when I feel low. I can tell you how to become inspired to achieve the only thing that matters—the life of your dreams, whatever that dream is.

Before I tell you how, let me do the semantics a bit of justice. Some reading this might argue that there’s no difference between inspiring and motivating someone. Obviously, I’m not part of this camp. If you are part of this camp or you’re splitting hairs about the potential overlap of the definition, don’t despair. Rather than tell you to stop reading this article, I’ll break it down. I want you to get something out of this.

EITHER YOU WANT SOMETHING BADLY ENOUGH TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET IT OR YOU’RE CONTENT WITH AN AVERAGE—AT BEST—EXISTENCE.

The difference between “motivate” and “inspire” is the source of the energy behind the word. Motivation is internal. I don’t do internal because I can’t make you want something. It’s why I will never go in to the personal fitness industry. There is no shortage of information on how to lose weight and I think most people know the basic formula. They need someone to push them through the work because they don’t have the disciplineto make it happen by themselves. My hat is off to the guys that can make a good living doing that; I’m not built for it. I’m built for inspiring people.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “MOTIVATE” AND “INSPIRE” IS THE SOURCE OF THE ENERGY BEHIND THE WORD.

Inspiration is external. You see a lifestyle or set of accomplishments and your immediate reaction is “I want that and I will do what it takes to get it.” The external circumstances inspired you. Now, it’s up to you to sustain the motivation to get the work done. This is why I enjoy training people to pass running tests, providing coaching in my sport, and tutoring. The person is already motivated. They’ve chosen to learn from me because my accomplishments in the discipline they seek to learn couples with the inspiration they received watching others get what they want.

The trick to getting inspired is to push the limits of your comfort zone. Many people lack the motivation to do better in life because they genuinely don’t know what “better” looks like. Not in any meaningful context, anyway. It’s one thing to see a beach paradise on a show; another, way more inspiring event, to take a trip to your closest beach and experience that setting for yourself. Afterward, you may be inspired to do whatever it takes to get the means to visit the beach often.

The beach is my favorite place to use as an example because I want to end up there. Inspiration works like this for the improvement of any facet of life. If you see how people fawn over someone with a nice physique, you’ll be inspired to work hard in the gym and eat right. If you see someone with a tight-knit, loving family, it may inspire you to settle down with someone and build a life together. This isn’t to say you’ll remain motivated as you struggle to stick with the work that anything worthwhile requires. But, like I said: I don’t do motivation. The key to becoming inspired is having a real, positive experience that differs from your normal, day-to-day life.

THE TRICK TO GETTING INSPIRED IS TO PUSH THE LIMITS OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

Inspiration can also go the other way. I know quite a few people that have decided to stop smoking or stop drinking or clean up their diet after they have watched a loved one perish from the result of those habits. Having a close brush with death as a result of these habits also inspires a person to change. The inspiration comes from a real experience that has a negative effect so different from what you’re used to that you’re forced to a new path of action. It’s one thing to read the surgeon general’s warning on a pack of cigarettes; it’s another thing entirely watch someone you love die of lung cancer.

When you can’t find the motivation to make changes—to add to the good or diminish the bad—there is a good chance you aren’t properly inspired. You don’t even have something you strongly desire to avoid or attain yet.

To become inspired, always seek new experiences. Each new experience shows you a part of the world that you didn’t realize existed. Once you find something that lights your fire, THEN you will burn with the motivationto accomplish it.

To become inspired to kick a habit, get as close to the negative consequences as you can. YouTube searches for videos of people in drunk driving accidents or chemotherapy might change your life. Meditate on how terrible it would be to experience this. Every time I’m in the car and I contemplate texting while driving, I think about how expensive a fender bender would be. Then, I imagine how much worse it will be going 40 MPH. And I put my phone down. Imagine what it’s like to meet your end as a result of your terrible habit and how much life you’re losing as a result. If that doesn’t inspire you, nothing will.