The first article in the inspiration series introduced you to the four letter word we can live without and the second article discussed shifting language and behavior to be reflective of a ‘can do’ attitude. Inspiration to shift comes from various objects like nature, divinity, movies, music, books and people. I particularly get inspired by people who made a difference to their lives and others using CAN.

1- Muhammad Yunus– this gentleman developed the idea of micro credit and micro finance which has made a huge difference to the lives of many, by allowing them to reach for opportunities which otherwise would not have been possible. He was not satisfied with winning a Nobel Prize but he went out to change lives of a million people. My favorite quote from his book ― Muhammad Yunus, Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle against World Poverty is: “Changes are products of intensive efforts.”
With a dream and can on his side he did it…

2-Aimee Mullins-a double amputee, Aimee is a force to reckon with! This beautiful woman is a sports champion, a fashion model and a role model. Aimee Mullins is one of the many who have chosen to disregard what they cannot do but focus on what can be done to live their life to the fullest. As a little girl with no “real” legs she could have given up her desires and ambitions but she didn’t take no for an answer. Saying I can to herself, she proved to others that anything is possible. A quote from Aimee“Adversity isn’t an obstacle that we need to get around in order to resume living our life. It’s part of our life. I think of it like my shadow — sometimes I see a lot of it, sometimes there’s very little, but it’s always with me.” 

3- The Pursuit of Happyness – this movie  not only warmed the heart but also taught some lessons. It was only because of can did Christopher Gardner (played by Will Smith) get through his dark days filled with homelessness, family and money problems. He believed in himself and surged ahead, attaining victory for himself and his family. My favourite dialogue from the movie

Christopher Gardner: Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right?
Christopher (his son): All right.
Christopher Gardner: You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you, you can’t do it. If you want something’, go get it. Period. 

4- The tortoise we discussed earlier from Aesop’s fable is inspirational. The tortoise challenged the hare and won the race. Some cynics say that the tortoise won because the hare was complacent. Well, this is one interpretation, to me the tortoise said “CAN” and it did.

These are just a few examples of how my belief in the infinite possibilities is strengthened. It has helped me realize that having the will to make a difference in our lives and that of others is an excellent start and the rest follows.These people made a difference, now it’s your turn, will you do the same? Yes, you CAN do whatever it is you want to do…

You surely have your own objects or concepts of inspiration, share them with us and we can learn from each other.