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Essay Samples on Someone Who Inspires Me

At its core, inspiration is a powerful force that ignites passion, propels dreams, and molds individuals into extraordinary beings. It is the vibrant pulse that surges through our veins, pushing us to achieve greatness even in the face of adversity. Crafting an essay about someone who inspires you allows you to shine a spotlight on the transformative power of such individuals.

How to Write an Essay on Someone Who Inspires Me

Here are some useful example you shpuld consider when writing a college essay about someone who inspires you:

Consider beginning with a heartfelt introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the awe-inspiring journey to come.
Share a personal anecdote or a defining moment that sparked the connection between you and your inspirational figure, allowing the reader to empathize with your experience.
Delve into the qualities and actions that make this individual so inspiring. Explore their accomplishments, perseverance, and unwavering determination. Showcase how their words and deeds have impacted your life, shaping your values and aspirations. Be vivid and descriptive, illustrating the profound influence they have had on your personal growth and development.
Weave in personal reflections throughout your essay. Share introspective thoughts and revelations, highlighting the lessons you have learned and the ways in which your perspective has evolved. By doing so, you invite the reader to embark on a transformative journey alongside you, creating a powerful emotional connection.

To aid you in your writing process, we provide a sample essay about someone who inspires you. It serves as a guiding light, illustrating the structure, tone, and depth needed to craft an outstanding piece. Drawing inspiration from this sample, embrace your unique voice, infuse your essay with passion, and let your words leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the readers.

A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

There are moments in life when we cross paths with someone who transforms our world in inexplicable ways. For me, that person is someone special who has walked alongside me, sharing laughter, tears, and countless memories. Our relationship is a testament to the beauty of...

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A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

Amidst the myriad of individuals who have crossed the path of my life, there is one who stands as a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the way with her unwavering determination, boundless compassion, and unyielding spirit. Her name is Emma, and her presence in my life...

A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

Throughout our lives, we encounter countless individuals who leave a lasting impact on us. Among them, there is always that one person who stands out — a person whose presence, actions, and words etch a permanent mark in our memories. In this essay, I will...

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My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

The identities of Americans are diversified. One’s identity is made up of a person's culture, heritage, personality, and how they strive to succeed. The identity of a person is created, through the hardships faced and their history, whether it is that one is born in...

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My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

Heroes can have a massive superb have an effect on on your life. My heroes are my mother and my dad. They are heroes to me each day and I have continually seemed up to them. I have always wanted to be just like my...

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Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

When I think of an individual who I look up to and aspire to emulate, the first person that comes to mind is Audrey Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn’s career in both entertainment and humanitarian work is a path I know I will follow because it is...

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Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

Oprah Winfrey was born in Mississippi on January 29,1954. Her parents were not married and broke up soon after she was born. Oprah Winfrey’s grandmother was strict and gave her plenty of discipline as she grew up on an isolated farm. Her grandmother taught her...

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St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

The qualities that St. Bernadette of Soubirous has that I admire are; being humble, being modest, being obedient, and loving. I admire these qualities because they make a person better. Saint Bernadette was modest and humble because, she didn’t brag about seeing Mother Mary, and...

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Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie-Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French writer, political activist, feminist thinker and existentialist philosopher. She had worked alongside other famous existentialist such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Maurice Merleau-Ponty and was able to produce wonderful works such as She Came to Stay, Pyrrhus and...

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Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

Ned Kelly was a bushranger and was born in June 1855 at Beveridge, Victoria. His father was John Kelly and his mother was Ellen Kelly. Ned became the father of his family at a very young age because of his fathers early death. In 1869...

Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

Joan of Arc was one of the most heroic women in French history. She has claimed to hear voices that told her to lead France in the Hundred Years War leading France to some victories. Although some believe that the Joan of Arc heard the...

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Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

To me, nursing is a selfless job. You put the patients’ needs before yours to provide them with the care that they deserve. As a nurse, you are the healing hands. With the energy, compassion, and dedication you build with the patients, you make a...

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Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

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Life Lessons in the Diary of Anne Frank

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The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich: An Inspiration to All

How would one respond to the most miserable and unpromising situation? In The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, the main character, Anne Frank, is deprived of her freedom and forced to hide in a secret annex. As a Jewish girl...

Tara Curb, Her Acts of Kindness Association, and Her Unique Vision of Kindness

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Biography of Jackie Robinson - National Hero

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” (Jackie Robinson). In the United States in the 1940s, segregation was the way of life. You probably know Jackie Robinson as number 42; the first black man to play major league...

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Life And Art Of Andy Warhol

I remember the first time I saw Andy Warhol’s artworks was about ten years ago at an exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan. At that time, I was not a big fan of Andy Warhol and I didn’t understand why all the works that only show some...

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Best topics on Someone Who Inspires Me

1. A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

2. A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

3. A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

4. My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

5. My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

6. Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

7. Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

8. St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

9. Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

10. Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

11. Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

12. Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

13. Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

14. The People Who Shaped Me

15. Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

Career Goals
Personality
Personal Experience

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Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

Students are often asked to write an essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

Introduction.

There are many famous people who inspire me, but the person who stands out is Mahatma Gandhi. He was a great leader from India who fought for freedom without violence.

His Beliefs

Gandhi believed in truth and non-violence. He said that these are the greatest forces in the world. He proved this by leading India to freedom without fighting.

His Actions

Gandhi led many peaceful protests. He inspired millions to fight for their rights without hurting anyone. His actions showed that peaceful means can bring about big changes.

Gandhi’s teachings are still relevant today. They inspire me to be a better person and to stand up for what is right. His life shows that one person can make a big difference.

In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi inspires me because of his beliefs, actions, and impact. He showed that peaceful means can bring about big changes. His life teaches us to be brave and to stand up for what is right.

250 Words Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

The person who inspires me the most is Mahatma Gandhi, a great leader from India. He fought for freedom and justice in his country. His life is a great example of how one can bring change in the world through peace and love.

Gandhi was born in India in 1869. He was a good student and later went to England to study law. He became a lawyer but he was not happy. He wanted to do something for his people and his country.

Fighting for Rights

Gandhi moved to South Africa for work. There, he saw how people were treated badly because of their skin color. This made him very sad. He decided to fight against this injustice. He started a movement called Satyagraha. It means ‘holding onto truth’. He believed in non-violence and asked people to fight for their rights peacefully.

Freedom Struggle

Gandhi returned to India and became a leader in the fight for freedom from British rule. He led many peaceful protests and marches. One famous march is the ‘Salt March’. He walked 240 miles to make salt from sea water. This was against the British law. It was a peaceful way to say ‘no’ to unfair laws.

Gandhi’s life teaches us that we should always stand up for what is right, even if it is hard. He showed us that love and peace are stronger than hate and violence. He inspires me to be a better person and to make a difference in the world.

500 Words Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

The person who inspires me most is a famous scientist named Albert Einstein. He is known around the world for his amazing brain and his big ideas. He was born in Germany in 1879 and died in 1955. Even though he is no longer alive, his words and ideas still inspire many people, including me.

Albert Einstein’s Early Life

Einstein was born into a Jewish family. His parents were not rich, but they loved learning. Einstein was a curious child. He often asked questions about how things worked. This curiosity led him to become one of the greatest scientists in history. He did not do well in school, but he never gave up. He followed his passion for learning and understanding the world around him.

Einstein’s Achievements

Einstein is most famous for his theory of relativity. This is a big idea about how space and time work together. It was a new and different way to think about the world. This theory changed how scientists understand the universe. Einstein also won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. This is one of the highest awards a scientist can receive.

Why Einstein Inspires Me

There are many reasons why Einstein inspires me. First, he was always curious. He never stopped asking questions. This shows me that it’s good to be curious and to keep learning. Second, even though he faced many challenges, he never gave up. This teaches me to be strong and to keep trying, no matter how hard things get. Third, Einstein used his knowledge to help others. He believed that science should be used for the good of all people. This inspires me to use what I learn to help others.

Albert Einstein was a great man who changed the world with his ideas. He was not afraid to ask big questions and to think in new ways. He faced many challenges, but he never gave up. He used his knowledge to help others. His life shows us that it’s good to be curious, to never give up, and to use what we learn to help others. These are the reasons why Albert Einstein inspires me. I hope that his story can inspire other students too.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Happy studying!

Interview Questions

Comprehensive Interview Guide: 60+ Professions Explored in Detail

Answers to “Who Inspires You?” (5 Examples)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 15, 2023

In a job interview, employers don’t just want to know you can do the job; they want to know about your life and interests.

So they ask interview questions like, “Who inspires you in your life?” or “Who is your greatest inspiration?”

And if you struggle to answer or give a response they don’t like, it could cost you the job.

Keep reading for tips on how to answer, “Who inspires you?” with example responses, mistakes to avoid, and more.

How to Answer the “Who Inspires You?” Interview Question

First of all, this is an incredibly open-ended interview question.

And while there are no wrong responses… some answers are better than others.

You could answer that your mother or father is your greatest inspiration. And that would be an okay answer.

But I recommend you look beyond a personal or family connection when answering, and consider the specific job you’re interviewing for.

Because the next question you’ll be asked, assuming you don’t expand on it in the first place, is “why?”

What did your mother, father, college teacher , or other personal connection do that was so inspiring? Was it their work ethic? Leadership skills?

Again, any of those answers are correct, but your answer will stand out and resonate more with the interviewer if you go into detail and ideally, tailor your answer to the traits required in the position you’re discussing.

Here’s a good example of how to answer this interview question by matching your inspiration to the job.

Imagine you’re looking for a career with a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide aid to the homeless, the sick, and the poor.

Claiming Mother Teresa as your greatest inspiration would be a sensible answer to the question.

She devoted most of her life to charitable work, helping the homeless, sick, and poor.

Or, if you were interviewing for a leadership position, you could use someone past or present who showed exemplary leadership as your inspiration.

Just be sure to pick someone you really admire because there’s a good chance your body language will give you away if you’re lying.

And yes, don’t be surprised if the recruiter or manager has some skill at reading body language.

The point is, your answer not only provides some insight into the person you aspire to be, but also highlights the type of behavioral patterns and attitudes you admire and respect.

And that will translate into the type of person you would be on the job.

Here’s another example of thinking about the job when answering “Who inspired you in your life?”

Imagine you’re interviewing for an accounting position. The soft skills you’ll need are:

Problem-solving
Strong communication skills, both written and oral
Critical thinking
Time management

You could use some famous accountants as your answer, perhaps someone like William Deloitte or William Cooper, the founders of Deloitte & Touche and Price Waterhouse Coopers respectively.

Or you could think outside the box and use as your inspiration someone who was or is well known for their critical thinking or problem-solving skills.

Of course, if you go this route, you need to clearly communicate your reasoning to your interviewer.

If you were to throw out Albert Einstein as your inspiration, that might not make sense to the person or people interviewing you because he’s a well-known physicist. But dig a little deeper and he’s also famous for being a problem solver and critical thinker, so you could talk about how he inspired you in those areas.

Throw an answer like that out and trust me, you’ll gain some serious credibility points.

As you can see, there’s no one “right” answer to this interview question. The key is to be able to explain why you choose the person and connect the dots between their story and your career and life goals.

Who Inspires You? Example Answers

Next, we’ll look at word-for-word who inspires you examples using people, past or present, who led a life that meshes with your career path and interests.

Example #1 for Who Inspires You: Mother Teresa

Someone who inspired me in my personal life and work is Mother Teresa. She dedicated her life to helping those less fortunate, and I’d like to achieve a similar story when I look back on my life. Also, I believe that her desire to help others made her a great leader, even though few would think of her that way. One of my favorite quotes by her is, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

This sample answer would be excellent if interviewing for a position at a charitable organization or other socially conscious organization.

It’s also a good answer for any role utilizing soft skills like leadership, empathy, emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and more.

No matter what your religious beliefs are (and I would recommend you don’t address them in the job interview), using this example answer with the reasons above would work in your favor and help you land any leadership role in an organization that values helping others.

Example #2 for Who Inspires You: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein has inspired me in my career. His theories and vision enabled some of the technology we take for granted today, like GPS, lasers, atomic clocks, and much more. He also struggled with and had to overcome self-doubt, like so many people do. The fact that even he faced self-doubt is inspiring and reminds me to be persistent and believe in myself.

Albert Einstein would be a great choice for the “Who inspires you” interview question for anyone seeking a position in a company that requires creativity. For example:

Any kind of artist
Authors/writers
College art, drama, or music teachers
Editors, print or video
Fashion designer
Industrial designer
Landscape architects

Example #3 for Who Inspires You: Michael Jordan

I’ve been inspired by Michael Jordan. He was talented, but more importantly, he was willing to outwork the competition and focus intensely on his goals. He was relentless and never stopped pushing himself to improve. One excellent piece of advice he shared was to never forget the fundamentals. “The minute you get away from fundamentals, whether it’s proper technique, work ethic, or mental preparation, the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.”

This is an interview answer that you could use for virtually any type of job.

In the corporate world, there are fundamentals critical to your success. Each job position will have its own fundamentals, but Jordan’s advice is that whatever they are, keep at them.

He also didn’t let failure stop him, which you can also say was inspiring to you. Ironically, when he was in high school, he was disqualified from the varsity basketball team because he wasn’t tall enough or good enough.

What did he do? Well, he eventually grew but more importantly, he practiced until he was good enough.

All of the factors above make Michael Jordan an excellent choice for someone you find inspiring.

Note that you could also choose a more recent athlete such as Kobe Bryant if you prefer (who happened to have a similar mindset, competitiveness, and mental toughness to Michael Jordan).

Example #4 for Who Inspires You: William Deloitte

Since becoming an accountant , I’ve been inspired by William Deloitte, one of the fathers of accounting. I’m inspired by his innovation, leadership, and interpersonal skills. These traits allowed him to make powerful connections and accomplish a tremendous amount in his career. He was ambitious and aimed high, too, which are values that are important to me. He started his career at 15 and opened his own practice at 25. He went on to found one of the largest accounting firms in the world, so his story is a reminder to stay ambitious and motivated in life.

This is a good answer to “Who inspires you?” if interviewing for any position in accounting or bookkeeping.

Remember, it’s always a good idea to consider the job you’re discussing when you answer this interview question.

Example #5 for Who Inspires You: Your Father

My father is someone who inspired me throughout life and is the reason I got into the marketing industry. When he was 19, he started a small local marketing firm and grew it to the point of having 200 clients throughout the state. He recognized that building strong relationships is just as important as being competent in your work, and he became excellent at both through consistent effort. He was also an inspiration because nobody told him to go down the marketing route, and he didn’t study marketing in school. Instead, he read local newspapers, saw opportunities to help businesses market themselves better in the local community, and went door-to-door to get his first clients.

As you can see, it’s okay to say a personal connection or family member inspired you.

But if choosing friends, parents, or other relatives/personal connections, you need to be ready to show something exceptional they did and exactly how that was an inspiration in your life and career. Otherwise, choose someone else as your inspirational figure.

Now you have 5 examples to the question, “Who inspires you?”

I’ve mentioned a few times that there are no wrong answers to this interview question. But there are some mistakes you should avoid when giving your interview answer…

Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “Who Inspires You?”

The #1 mistake to avoid when saying who inspires you in an interview:

If there’s anything we’ve learned in the last several years, it’s that there are some topics and people who are completely polarizing. Many people are one hundred percent for or against something or someone.

Why does that matter?

Because you have no idea where the person who’s interviewing you stands on the subject. And if you voice a strong like or dislike contrary to theirs, that could count against you.

So it’s best to stay away from anyone or anything highly controversial or polarizing, such as most political figures or issues.

Further mistakes to avoid:

If you do choose a famous person, make sure they really are someone you admire and respect. Otherwise you won’t sound convincing.
Don’t give an answer that’s more than 60-90 seconds. Be selective in sharing why someone has inspired you and just choose a few key points to share. You don’t need to share every detail you’ve read and researched about this person, and if the interviewer wants to hear more, they’ll ask.
Don’t ever answer without having a reason ready. If you choose your mother, father, a friend, or anyone related to you, be sure to have an appropriate reason.

8 Types of People You Can Say Inspired You

To help you gather more ideas for potential answers to “Who inspired you in your life?” here are some general types of people you can mention as your inspiration.

Historical figures
Mentors/coaches
Noteworthy people in your community
Parents, family, and friends

If you follow the steps and sample answers above, you’ll be ready to answer “Who inspires you?” in your next interview.

If you can’t think of someone to name and the examples above don’t work for you, don’t panic.

Google is your friend for coming up with more answers and people you find inspiring.

If you’re not sure what soft skills and traits are most important for the position your interview is for, you can do a search on something like “soft skills needed for…” and just fill in either the field or role you’re hoping to get hired for.

Also, look at the job description before your interview. Notice which skills and traits are mentioned first and/or most often.

Then, you can try searching for someone motivational that matches the soft skills required for the job. Try something like a search for “examples of people with a good work ethic.”

This preparation will help you wow the interviewer so you can land the job.

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Student Essays

Student Essay: The Power of Stories to Inspire Strong Leaders

essay on a leader who inspires you the most

Google Classroom:

Maya S. is a Muslim, Egyptian and student athlete who has lived in Saudi Arabia for most of her life. She is 16 and a junior at the American International School of Riyadh, where she is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program.

In this Student Essay of the Week, Maya talks about how building a platform for others to share their stories has helped her understand why welcoming diversity of thought and experience will make her a stronger, more empathetic leader.

Three steps forward and two steps back. That was my reality during the privilege walk.

In October 2018, I was selected along with 50 other high school students to attend a leadership trip to a farm outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We believed that we were all going to learn about how to become leaders with strong voices. However, the trip took a completely unexpected and inspiring turn. Instead, we left knowing how to listen first and speak second.

At the farm, we participated in an activity called a privilege walk , where we were asked to step forward or backward in response to certain questions. From the responses, it became obvious that all of us were struggling with something that those around us knew nothing about.

I learned that the girl beside me once wondered where her next meal would come from. The girl beside her was afraid to leave the house at night because she had been assaulted. The boy to my left had been held at gunpoint. And the boy beside him had a mental disorder. This realization hit me hard. I was able to understand that although it’s impossible for us all to experience the same things, it is possible for us to try and listen to each other and understand each other’s differences. I began to appreciate the meaning of finding beauty in diversity. During that trip I learned that true leaders listen to the voices of others, and as a result they are able to enrich their own points of view.

“Living with anxiety is like feeling alive through the motions of life, but never freely living. It’s being aware of my surroundings, but lost in another world inside my head.”

During the summer of that year, someone I loved dearly was faced with medical issues, and my family began dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Even when it was all over, I felt lost and changed. I couldn’t explain it, but I wished that someone understood. I then began thinking of the people standing around me that day in Riyadh during the privilege walk, and everyone around the world like us. Did we all feel the same desire to be understood? How could we all feel seen and valued, regardless of our stories? I wanted to hear more about the stories of all those kids I met that day in line. I wanted to understand how we all ended up there, despite our different paths. I wanted to create something that would allow them to express their stories.

That summer, I started Voice of Change , a weblog that allows other teenagers to contribute writing that reflects the experiences that have shaped them. The first story I received was “Purpose,” from a girl struggling with depression. She wrote, “Purpose: a reason, a given, motivation , a point. We all live life because we have a purpose. We realize that there is a point, we have motivation and a reason to live. We look forward to things and create opportunities for ourselves. We see a future. Imagine living life feeling as though you have no purpose… That means no reason, no motivation, simply no point… the best way to describe this feeling is as if [you’re] dead. This feeling is depression.”

After I posted the article, which talked about how depression impacted the author’s life, I received comments, emails and texts from others saying that the article communicated what they needed to hear and couldn’t put into words. This initial response fueled the rest of my work. I began receiving other stories about challenging experiences, ranging from sexual assault and racial discrimination, to losing a loved one and struggling with body image. Here are a few powerful quotes from these articles:

“I’m not sure who or what I’m living for, but I’d never want to risk my family members feeling as I do right now. It’s okay that I’m suffering right now, because I have faith that it will pass, eventually it will.” – “Live On”

“I am not ignorant because I’m Arab. I’m not a terrorist because I’m Muslim. I am not a thug because I’m black. I am not who I am because of what you see on the news. I am who I am because of what I’ve been through, and what I have become.” – “Assume”

“Living with anxiety is like feeling alive through the motions of life, but never freely living. It’s being aware of my surroundings but lost in another world inside my head.” – “I Choose Life”

I see my Voice of Change journey as having so much to do with becoming a better leader. It has helped me to see clearly the type of leader I hope to become. I have developed a stronger perspective by understanding the voices and stories of others. I have become more empathetic to other people’s struggles, a quality I will need when I run my own business one day. You can’t understand your customers’ wants or your employees’ needs if you don’t listen and appreciate where they’re coming from. Also, Voice of Change has shown me how much our experiences shape us and contribute to how we see the world and solve problems. Each person offers a unique voice and a different perspective – all powerful and important in their own way.

Conversation Starters

What is empathy and why is it such an important leadership quality? How is empathy related to storytelling? Use the Related Links with this article if you need to better understand empathy.

How have your experiences shaped you? Share your story in the Comment section of this article.

Maya writes that she has come to appreciate “how much our experiences shape us and contribute to how we see the world and solve problems.” Diversity of thought is incredibly powerful in the business world. Why does it hold such value? How does it enrich the team dynamic and important outcomes?

6 comments on “ Student Essay: The Power of Stories to Inspire Strong Leaders ”

Hi Maya, Thank you for sharing your fantastic story with us. Being able to appreciate the people around you and, in first place, yourself is one of the major keys to success and, most importantly, happiness in life, at least according to my experience. We all come from different environments and experiences, the same ones which make us who we are, in our uniqueness and diversity, as you clearly and beautifully stated in your essay. Appreciation is one of those emotions, if that’s how we want to define it, I have learned to consider and embrace later in life, but it is surely the one all the rest comes down to: appreciation for life, appreciation for love from our beloved ones… Having dealt throughout life with friends who coped with depression and anxiety, I can say I have experienced the emotional upheaval that tends to follow this kind of acknowledgements. It gives you a completely different perspective on the world, on the people that surround you and on the way you look at your very own life. On the other hand, I’ve been lucky enough to feel the wonderful sense of relief and joy which comes after helping this people, which taught me the value of the word, indeed, appreciation. In the same way I’ve been able to help my dearest friends deal with these horrible feelings and find a way out of them, I find what you have done with this very same individuals awesome: not only giving them a voice through the blog, but giving their peers the chance to find sympathy and reassurance in their words. Keep it up! And take care.

Sonder – n. The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness (The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows).

I believe that sonder, a short and simple made-up word to describe a complex feeling, perfectly captures the spirit of Maya and her article. Maya realized the complexity of the lives of those around her, that every stranger on the leadership trip had their own unique story to tell, filled with their personal struggles. She reaches the conclusion that “each person offers a unique voice and a different perspective – all powerful and important in their own way.”

Sonder, and more broadly, empathy, is a crucial element of being a good leader. I had my own moment of sonder last summer when I had the opportunity to volunteer at my local Chinese senior center. I started volunteering there because I had to fill my school’s requirement for service hours but ended up gaining much more out of it than that. At first, I was wary of taking on the job because my Chinese conversational skills were acceptable at best and rudimentary at worst. However, I quickly found that the seniors were very welcoming and were just happy that someone was willing to sacrifice their time to help out. I performed tasks such as preparing and serving food as well as helped teach ESL and citizenship classes. I learned about the hard work ethic of the workers and volunteers around me while washing apples. I learned about the amiability and habits of the seniors in the lunchroom. There would always be those in the back table playing cards, the younger seniors chatting in the front, and the seasoned mahjong players upstairs. I even had the chance to hear some of their rich stories, stories of their journeys of emigrating from communist China, stories of their successful children, stories of their war experiences, and stories of their hope in America. I truly understood that these seniors, whom I would not have given a second glance on the street, lived such deep and meaningful lives, each of which would be a thrilling standalone novel.

Just like Maya learned to understand those from different backgrounds, I was able to empathize with these seniors and develop an appreciation for their experiences. We should all have empathy for each other in this world full of division and hatred. Sonder helps us have that empathy not only with those close to us but with everyone around us.

When I became the youngest Student Council President of my school, my idea of a strong leader was someone who could command and lead a group of people with total authority the way they like it. So, that’s what I tried to do during my early days as a leader. I thought I would be a strong leader by commanding the student council and demonstrating my full authority over the rest. But after the first month, like Maya, the experience of being a leader took a completely unexpected and inspiring turn. I learned, like Maya, that you have to listen first and speak second. It is by listening to others that makes you a stronger leader because it is easier to command and display your authority. But it is harder to swallow your pride and listen to others when their opinions or stories differ from yours.

Therefore, in the Student Council that I am in, I launched an initiative called “Listen Monday” with the purpose of listening to everyone’s opinions and views in the student council and utilizing them for the betterment of the school.

By understanding the voices of others it has helped me develop a better perspective. I have become more empathetic to others. Listening to others has allowed me to see the full picture that I have never seen. And because I see the bigger picture, I realized that other’s experiences can help shape how I see the world and solve problems. As Maya said, each person offers a unique voice and a different perspective, all-powerful and important in their own way.

I want to thank Maya for inspiring me.

I want to thank Maya for inspiring me to become a better leader.

Hello L Dau K!

Thank you for sharing your experience and lessons as a student council president. Listening to your implementation of listening Mondays has brought me back to a time when I was the storyteller, pouring my life out, not to a student council president, but to my mother.

Before the story begins, I must tell you about my mother. She is a very successful corporate leader of hundreds of people. Of course, when it comes to life, she’s never lost her footing when it comes to parenting. Her dogma for me was always the same as that for her employees. She required me to write a time schedule and reflect on life every day and report my academic progress to her with a PowerPoint presentation every week. Similar to your listening Mondays, but coerced. Of course, these rules also apply to her employees. I argued with her countless times, berating her for treating me, at the time, a 12-year-old, as her employee. Perhaps you have already begun to detest my mother’s parenting philosophy, or that she is just another derelict mother who neglects her children’s emotional needs to give her career 100%. But she was a mother for the first time, and I as her oldest child witnessed her growth and how she became a leader, both to her employees and to me.

Where should I begin my story with this leader? As I counted the episodes that flashed through my mind, neither the long conversation in the evening breeze nor the laughing conversation in the dark living room seemed like the most appropriate beginning of the story. Puzzled, I put down my thoughts and sat down to recall the beginning of our conversations. There’s no longer nameless fear and tension when she approaches me, dreading to hear what she has to say. Instead, I always walked up to her when I found her alone, and the dialogue always began with a sigh. I told her many stories about young love, friends, hobbies, and self-reflection, all parts of me that I was reluctant to reveal in PowerPoints. She is busy all day but never said no when I started a conversation. I could feel that she valued every part of our communication, regardless of how nonsensical it was, taking it wholeheartedly. She would sit down and listen to every word I had to say, and she would take to heart every hint of emotion I tried to convey. She did her best to understand my passions, cater to my needs, and embrace my sentiments. And that’s one of the most valuable lessons she’s taught me as a leader.

My mother’s growth as a leader came naturally to her as she listened to every ebullient story and every heart-wrenching sob. She did what many leaders, even in family relationships, fail to do: give the most attention to her children and subordinates, dwelling on their stories, bringing herself into their emotions, and living their experiences. Simply receiving a comment differentiates from understanding the root of their feedback. Through sharing stories with my mother, as my thoughts became words and leaped out of my mouth, my thoughts received a carrier. The stories I told were imparted with meaning through the process of communication. These words made me who I am and marked every footprint of mine. Not only giving her a chance to guide me but giving me a chance to recourse, bonding two unknown souls by building emotional bridges rather than giving ice-cold PowerPoint presentations. I myself am walking on those bridges, and I will be learning to build them up. Through open communication, we can build bridges high enough to see the world from a bigger view, see the tips of Mt. Everest, hear the mumbles of rhinoceros and vaquitas, and unveil a side of the world that we have never seen before.

In her essay “The Power of Stories to Inspire Strong Leaders”, Maya S. quotes “I was able to understand that although it’s impossible for us to all experience the same things, it is possible for us to try and listen to each other and understand each other’s differences. I began to appreciate the meaning of finding beauty in diversity. During that trip I learned that true leaders listen to the voices of others, and as a result they are able to enrich their own points of view.” This quote taught me that in order to be understood, one must learn to understand.

As an international student living in the states, my school days were certainly different from most of my classmates. There were a lot more plane rides, more hours of memorizing English vocabulary, and less people that paid attention to the struggles I went through. It was hard to focus on the upside of life when I knew that my comfort zone was about 6800 miles away. I felt like I was drowning in my own world, and was unsure of what I needed to do to get out of it.

As time passed, I did learn to embrace my new home. That started with a simple step: Learning about how people here lived. I added Kendrick Lamar and Olivia Rodrigo to my playlist, started to watch the NBA, and reached out for corrections when I didn’t recognize an English word. As I began to understand and appreciate what was around me, it was way easier to fit in. My struggles started to pay off as I received multiple honors and varsity MVP awards. Apart from Academics, I also became much more active in the social circle. I learned more about life here from my new friends, and also taught them some parts of life that I left behind back in Korea. After these changes, I could proudly say that I’m definitely leading my own life.

Maya’s story of the privilege walk reminded me of the change in my perspective before and after trying to understand American culture. At first I was hesitant in getting to know the new environment, but now I see the hidden value of entirely different customs, just like how Maya was able to understand the children with more depth. Furthermore, something Maya did that I greatly appreciate is that she didn’t just stop from enlightenment and took action to advocate for her beliefs. I believe that Maya’s propulsion of creating the “Voice of Change” weblog exemplifies what leaders do to promote their voice to the world. As a person aspiring to be a global leader and a businessman, I was greatly inspired by Maya’s quotes of insight and her action to spread her words.

Our world today is heavily interconnected, and the effects of collaborating across diverse backgrounds have never been more apparent. As I reflect on Maya’s quote and my own understanding, I am reminded that true leaders are distinguished by their ability to seek harmony in differences. My journey from a foreign student drowning in isolation to a confident participant in a global community underscores the transformative power of understanding others to be understood. Of course there are still customs that I cannot resonate with, like pineapple on pizza. But as I step forward into a world of connections and communications, I carry with me the invaluable lesson that true understanding is the cornerstone of meaningful process.

What Is Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay is a paper that analyzes leadership concepts and their application to real-life situations that may involve everyday business management, crisis situations, and other scenarios.

Every essay on leadership is about defining a concept. Then, it’s either comparing it to similar management tools or proving that it’s useful (or not).

While some students enjoy writing such papers, other learners hate them. The below samples will come in handy, no matter which group is yours.

What Does Leadership Mean to You? (Essay Sample)

It is one of the most popular topics for a leadership essay. If you need to write a paper like that, ask yourself:

Who is a good leader?
What style do they use?
What are the situations when they might switch styles?

You may take a more personal approach to such an essay if your professor allows you to. In the example below, you will see the academic approach to this topic. It analyzes three leadership styles to discover which one corresponds to the meaning of leadership if one thinks of it as guidance and support.

Why I Want to Participate in a Leadership Program (Essay Sample)

It’s another example of a popular topic. Such papers often have a meaning beyond the classroom since they may decide whether you plan to participate in a specific program. It’s critical to make them as effective and compelling as possible.

A personalized approach is the best when it comes to essays like this. In the example below, you will see the paper that relies on individual beliefs and a personal life story to explain why it’s so important for the specific student to participate in the chosen program.

How to Write a Leadership Essay

Like every other essay, this paper has an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion summarizing your thoughts. (1) The most important part of the introduction is the final sentence, aka a thesis statement. That’s where you state your claim to prove or develop in your leadership essay.

Each body paragraph should correspond to the purpose of your essay. To ensure you don’t stray from the aim you’ve established in the thesis statement, write the topic sentences for all your paragraphs in the outline . In simple words, write the first sentence of every paragraph to define its development in advance and see if you cover everything you need.

And now, to the conclusion:

Its most essential element is thesis restatement or the first sentence of that paragraph. It’s not just paraphrasing your thesis; it’s also considering the new information you’ve discovered while writing the essay.

Structure :

Introduction (End it with a thesis statement.)
Body paragraphs (Each one starts with a topic sentence.)
Conclusion (Start it with a thesis restatement.)

Understand the purpose of a leadership essay

When starting to write, think about why you’re creating this paper. Before you sit down and type the words, think about the ideas you want to convey and their meaning in your life:

Can this essay teach you to take responsibility? Or maybe will it help you understand how to be a leader in crisis situations? When you’ve answered the “why” question, begin outlining.

Build a strong thesis

Always start with your thesis statement. It will help incorporate your answer to that notorious “why” question into your essay. Once done, you can plan out the rest of the paper and start working on the body paragraphs as soon as you finish the introduction.

There’s another important tip —don’t rush into writing the conclusion before you finish everything else!

It might seem like a good idea to create a thesis statement and thesis restatement right off the bat. However, you’ll find yourself with more refreshing ideas after completing all the research and thinking necessary for the introduction and each body paragraph.

Decide on a structure; format accordingly

Even if your essay about leadership seems not so formal, and you can use personal pronouns, you still need a clear structure.

The best way to write any academic paper is to keep your introduction and conclusion as short as possible. (But no shorter than three sentences and four lines of text).

Another important tip is to try making all your body paragraphs equal in length. That way, you’ll give the same attention to all the vital points of your essay.

Ready to Write Your Essay on Leadership Now?

Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the most critical elements of a leadership essay.

Remember the structure, grammar, and appropriate academic style to create a top-level paper. Please don’t forget to answer the “why” question and remember why you’re writing. Then you’ll impress everyone with your results!

References:

https://lsa.umich.edu/onsf/news-events/all-news/directors-blog/writing-leadership-essays.html
Essay samples
Essay writing
Writing tips

Anyone Can Learn to Be a Better Leader

Monique Valcour

You just have to put in the work.

Occupying a leadership position is not the same thing as leading. To lead, you must be able to connect, motivate, and inspire a sense of ownership of shared objectives. Heightening your capacity to lead others requires being able to see how you think and act, and how your behavior affects others. Leading well requires a continuous journey of personal development. Yet people in leadership roles often eschew the long and challenging work of deepening self-insight in favor of chasing after management “tools”— preferably the “quick ’n’ easy” kind, such as personality type assessments that reduce employees to a few simplistic behavioral tendencies. Tools can be handy aids to good leadership. But none of them can take the place of fearless introspection, feedback seeking, and committed efforts to behavioral change for greater effectiveness and increased positive impact on others.

When you’re an individual contributor, your ability to use your technical expertise to deliver results is paramount. Once you’ve advanced into a leadership role, however, the toolkit that you relied on to deliver individual results rarely equips you to succeed through others. Beware of falling into the logical trap of “if I can do this work well, I should be able to lead a team of people who do this work.” This would be true if leading others were akin to operating a more powerful version of the same machinery you operated previously. But it’s not; machinery doesn’t perform better or worse based on what it thinks about you and how you make it feel, while humans do .

MV Monique Valcour is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and management professor. She helps clients create and sustain fulfilling and high-performance jobs, careers, workplaces, and lives. moniquevalcour

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6 Qualities of Those Who Practice Inspiring Leadership

The world lacks people who are willing to practice inspiring leadership. Recently, a Gallup survey showed that only 22 percent of teams think their leaders have a clear direction of where to take the company. It’s troubling to know so many organizations lack direction in an era when, to be successful, businesses must constantly evolve. New technologies, marketing trends, and customer desires are continuously shifting. To survive well into the future, companies must have an inspiring leader who motivates and guides their team to reach challenging goals.

An inspiring leader is passionate, confident, emotionally intelligent, decisive, and strategic. These qualities exist in their words, their actions, and their energy. Knowing they can’t achieve their goals alone, they bring out the best in others. For example, think of leaders like Winston Churchill, who, against all odds, remained positive and reminded his fellow countrymen of their excellence and abilities. His strong leadership style painted a clear vision of a heroic nation that never surrendered, despite the challenges before them.

As noted above, inspiring leaders give people purpose, motivate them to action, and provide more fulfillment in their professional careers. An organization that wants to see sustained success should have inspirational leadership throughout the company by developing the qualities of a person that can lead. To find out how to do this, learn about some of the traits of inspiring leaders, including a few examples that show how to positively influence your team.

What Is Inspiring Leadership?

Inspiring leadership is the practice of developing one or more people to reach their peak potential by motivating and challenging them. Inspiring leaders often see greatness in others, even when they might not fully see it themselves. By speaking to their top qualities and coaching them in their strengths, they’re able to help them progress toward monumental goals and tremendous feats.

How to Be an Inspiring Leader

To become an inspiring leader, a person must understand their values and follow them to the fullest. They display earnest conviction in their beliefs and won’t bend to outside pressures no matter how difficult the road becomes. Such great leaders should have an inner drive and a deep hunger to create change. They engage in transformational leadership and display high emotional intelligence . They also develop other leadership skills and traits that help them inspire people. Find out what these are below.

1. Authencity

“Be yourself—not your idea of what you think somebody else’s idea of yourself should be.” Henry David Thoreau

Inspirational leaders show authenticity at all times, allowing them to connect with others. They openly share details about themselves—where they came from, the challenges they’ve faced, and their dreams for the future. There’s no phoniness about them, which brings an added level of respect from others. They are genuinely proud of who they are and don’t try to hide it. Most importantly, they always act the same no matter the situation, whether in the office or out on vacation.

Steve Jobs showed inspirational leadership in his life partly through his authenticity. Jobs was very open about his struggles and the times when he failed. In fact, he often talked about when he was fired from Apple in 1985 and what he learned from it. In one commencement speech he gave to Stanford, students expressed surprise that he mostly discussed his failures instead of successes. Great leaders learn from this authenticity and practice ways to be more open about themselves and where they’ve stumbled as they look to motivate those around them.

2. Approachability

“An approachable person intuitively knows how to set new acquaintances at ease and create a safety net for them to be vulnerable and authentic.” Susan C. Young

Another trait of those practicing inspiring leadership is being approachable. Part of that comes down to creating an environment where people feel comfortable expressing their opinions and talking to you. Approachable leaders show a vulnerable side, displaying their personal nature. In other words, they show they’re just like anyone else: human and relatable. They recognize these traits in others as well and allow for that feeling to spread throughout an organization.

An approachable leader is an inspiring leader who knows how to communicate. They’re unafraid to tell their story and share their vision with others. That goes for people inside the company as well as customers outside of it. As health coach Sarah Ann Stewart explains, “As I evolved as an entrepreneur, I realized the more I connected with individuals and shared my own personal life, the more impact I was having on a greater scale. Honest, vulnerable stories are not ‘salesy,’ they are relatable!” Showing the human element will help people see the personal side of a leader.

“One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.” E.M. Forster

Inspirational leaders also show a genuine passion for what they do and the goals they have. Once they’ve laid out a vision or mission, they tackle it with energetic enthusiasm. Passion is contagious, and if a leader is passionate about what they’re doing, people notice and can even feel the same sentiment. It helps when leaders articulate why they’re passionate and why everyone should focus on the big picture.

One example of a passionate leader who gets results is Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks from 1986 to 2000. He returned to the company again in 2008. When he became CEO for a second time, Starbucks was having difficulties during a rapid growth phase. Part of the problem was caused by attempts to diversify the menu. As Schultz reentered the picture, he focused on his passion for coffee, which redirected the company’s focus. Schultz even went so far as to close thousands of Starbucks stores to emphasize the company should be all about coffee. This led to a major turnaround for the company, largely thanks to Schultz’s inspiring passion for the product.

4. Role Modeling

“The three most important ways to lead people are, by example, by example, by example.” Albert Schweitzer

Those who dedicate their lives to being great leaders inspire leadership traits in those around them. This is because inspirational leaders lead by example. While some managers may tell others what to do, the example setter shows them what to do. With these learning opportunities, team members have a clear vision and direction to follow.

While a leader can explain what someone should do in a given situation, the more effective method is to walk the walk yourself. This also applies when demonstrating the values of an organization. A leader who sets the example for being caring and compassionate will see that example followed by people within the company.

One leader who has set an example of the importance of taking time off is Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. Netflix’s policy gives employees unlimited PTO , but that doesn’t mean workers always take advantage of it. Hastings sets the example by taking six weeks off every year. When employees see this, they feel like it’s okay to take time off and experience the benefits of vacation time too. Without that example, Netflix employees would likely not take as much time off, leading to higher rates of work burnout .

5. Active Listening

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen R. Covey

While many people may think of an inspiring leader as one who speaks well, they also need to be great listeners. If leaders don’t learn to listen, how will they know what other people are saying? Inspirational leaders allow time for people to voice their thoughts. They take in their ideas and contemplate them, and they don’t dismiss them as unimportant. If people see that a leader listens, they’ll be more inspired to follow them.

Listening is another way to establish a connection with other people. It shows you pay attention and honestly care about what they say. Author and humanitarian Alexi Panos described the importance of listening by saying, “It’s not just ‘customers,’ ‘audience,’ or ‘tribe’—every person that comes into my ecosystem has a story, fears, hopes, and dreams, has people in their lives that count on them, that love them, and have something that they’re facing off with (just like me). These are humans . . . not sales . . . and I keep that at the forefront of my business from start to finish. Connect to the person and then find a way to listen and then serve.”

6. Servant Leadership

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Theodore Roosevelt

One of the best ways for leaders to inspire people is by serving them. As Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great because greatness is determined by service . . . You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.” Servant leadership inspires others through selfless actions. It influences people through acts of caring and kindness. People see servant leaders and have the desire to be like them.

Many leaders try to show servant leadership in business by establishing a “people-first” policy. This essentially means people come before profits. One example of this is the company SAS, which has received national awards for its workplace and how it treats its employees. The servant leader at the head of it all is CEO and founder Jim Goodnight, who shows appreciation for the employees. He’s noted as saying, “Treat employees like they make a difference and they will.” With that encouragement and service, people will feel inspired to follow.

Inspiring Leaders Need to Step Forward

Many people in the business world crave inspiring leadership and the learning opportunities that come from it. Indeed, all companies stand to benefit when inspiring leaders step up. People want to feel that inspiration in their lives and be inspiring leaders, but they need a model who teaches them how to grow in this area. In Start With Why , Simon Sinek points this out when he writes: “Those who are able to inspire give people a sense of purpose or belonging that has little to do with any external incentive or benefit to be gained. Those who truly lead are able to create a following of people who act not because they were swayed, but because they were inspired.”

With more inspiring leaders at the helm of organizations, more people will have the ability to change the world for the better.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these motivational leadership quotes .

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How To Answer “Who Inspires You?” (Examples Included)

September 15, 2022 by Hannah Morgan

“Who inspires you?” is a fairly broad interview question that gives you a lot of wiggle room with your answer. There are so many fascinating and inspirational people out there, so who do you choose?

This resource will help you come up with a great answer when picking your biggest inspiration, so you can use this question as an opportunity to impress.

Why interviewers ask “who inspires you, how to answer this question, what you shouldn’t say in your answer, best example answers.

Contrary to what some people think, job interviews aren’t always tough conversations that exclusively focus on the job at hand. While every question is relevant, they don’t always appear to be at face value. “Who inspires you?” is an example of this. It’s an open-ended question that cleverly provides more insight into who you are as a person.

The main reason why interviewers ask this question is that it sheds light on your motivations. Hiring managers want to know why you pursued this opportunity and whether or not it’s something you’ll continue to be inspired by moving forward. Money is always a significant factor in your job search, but companies want people who are there for more than just monetary gains. They want people who are naturally motivated to succeed and boost the organization’s bottom line.

When you talk about who inspires you, you’re indirectly telling the interviewer what paths you respect and values you hold. Most people gain inspiration from the people they respect most. It’s who you aspire to be like one day.

Your response is an excellent opportunity to show the interviewer who you are in a more creative way than your typical job interview answers. How you answer this question says a lot about you and could help your chances of getting hired.

“Who inspires you?” is a question that also provides more practical insight. In addition to telling them more about your values, it shows off your personality and provides a glimpse of how you can connect and communicate with others. It may even lead to a conversation about soft skills that are relevant to the job. Ultimately, this question tells the interview important personality details that no resume could convey.

“Who inspires you and why?” is a question that requires some thought to answer effectively, but it’s not as challenging as you think. Everyone’s response is different, and you should focus on talking about people who truly matter to you.

However, you can use a few tricks to ensure that you’re providing an effective answer that will leave a great impression.

1. Pick Someone with a Personal Connection

The first tip is to choose someone you have a genuine personal connection with. You don’t have to be super close or even know them personally. But it pays to talk about someone who truly inspires you and your professional career.

Avoid picking people you think the interviewer wants you to talk about in your answer. For example, avoid the obvious attempt at flattery, such as choosing the company’s CEO. Unless they genuinely inspire you, avoid those cliches.

It’s easier to talk about someone that actually means something to you. There’s a good chance that you have strong feelings about what that person has accomplished. You’ll sound more genuine if you have a solid connection to them.

There are many types of people you can talk about with this response. It could be a family member or close friend. Alternatively, you can choose historical figures, industry leaders, authors, or fictional characters. The sky’s the limit here, so think about the biggest inspirations in your professional career.

2. Keep Your Answer Relevant

“Who inspires you?” is a question that is best answered by choosing someone relevant to the job. Sure, you can select a person that has nothing to do with your industry. But that may not provide the insight that the interviewer is looking to get.

The best thing you can do is choose someone related to your field. They should have some connection to your industry, the company you’re applying for, or the position you’re trying to land. Any thread of similarity is something you can lean on when formulating your response.

For example, you can talk about an industry leader. Influencers or thought leaders in your industry are well-known and likely have exciting backstories to draw inspiration. The same goes for innovators within your field.

You can also look towards historical figures that played a part in your industry becoming what it is today. Anyone with relevance to your industry is a great way to go.

3. Dig Deeper

When you’re explaining who inspires you and why, try not to lean heavily on the obvious traits of the person you’re discussing. For example, saying that the thing that inspires you most about an inventor is that they created a product isn’t exactly groundbreaking.

Go further.

Think about what makes this person so inspiring and what you connect with personally. Think about what this individual has done for you, your industry, and society as a whole.

One great technique is to explain what signature behaviors or traits about that person you want to emulate. Talk about the characteristics that inspire you and how you want to apply them in your professional career.

Put thought into this response and avoid the obvious cliches. This will help you create a captivating answer that the interviewer hasn’t already heard many times before.

4. Keep It Brief

At most, your response should be around a minute to a minute and a half.

“Who inspires you?” is an interview question that has the potential to draw out long, rambling answers. You probably have many strong feelings about the person you’re talking about, but that doesn’t mean you should talk about them non-stop. Keep your answer relatively concise.

Hit all your main points – state who inspires you, explain why, and move on. Long answers can seem disjointed. Not only that, they’re difficult for you to remember.

A short answer that’s well-thought-out is more likely to leave an impact.

5. Practice

Our last tip is to practice as much as you can.

That doesn’t mean you should type out a scripted response and memorize it verbatim. That would have the opposite effect you want. Over-rehearsed answers come off as inauthentic.

Instead, decide why the person you’re highlighting inspires you, jot down a few key points, and know the basic structure of your answer. Practice responding in many different ways. The goal is to be confident in your words, not recite a scripted answer.

While you have a lot of freedom to answer this question how you want, there are a few things you want to avoid. The following mistakes could hurt your chances, so keep them in mind when crafting your response.

Typical Family Answers

Most people have nothing but loving things to say about their parents or close family members. But unless you have a compelling or unique reason to talk about them, it’s best to avoid typical responses regarding your family.

Interviewers are more interested in hearing about individuals who inspire your professional pursuits. You can talk about family if their story is relevant to your field. But talking about how much you love someone in your family or how their support made a difference doesn’t provide the insight interviewers are looking for.

Political or Religious Figureheads

Most workplaces have unspoken rules about discussing politics, religion, and other controversial topics. Your interview should be no different.

While hiring managers can’t discriminate against you, subconscious biases can come into play. The last thing you want to do is talk about a controversial figure that the interviewer doesn’t like. It automatically puts a negative cloud over the interview experience and creates biases that are difficult to shake.

It’s better to steer clear of anyone divisive or remotely controversial when talking about who inspires you.

Example-Free Responses

This mistake happens more frequently than it should! You might have people in mind who inspire you, but unless you can talk about why they inspire you, the answer is incomplete!

Here’s where adequate preparation comes in handy. Think about why those individuals inspire you and what traits you want to emulate in the workplace. “Who inspires you?” is an interview question that should always warrant an example during your answer.

Talking About Multiple People

You probably have many people you admire or view as a source of inspiration, but try limiting your response to just one.

Talking about several individuals can make your answer seem disorganized. Covering multiple people will likely make your response a bit too lengthy.

Self-Absorbed Answers

Finally, please don’t go with the “I inspire myself” response. That might sound groundbreaking to you, but it’s nothing but self-centered and a bit awkward to everyone else.

It can paint you negatively, making the interviewer think you’re arrogant or not a team player. You’ll have other opportunities to talk about how great you are, but this question is not it.

“Who inspires you?” is a question that offers plenty of room for creative thinking. Give it ample thought and use our tips above to mold a perfectly crafted response. To give you some inspiration about talking about who inspires you, here are a few stellar examples.

The first example is for a job-seeker looking to get into the accounting field. The person they choose to talk about is a well-known figure in the accounting world. He’s the namesake for a large, multinational accounting firm.

But more importantly, the inspirational figurehead is someone who exemplifies the necessary skills and character traits to succeed in accounting. It’s a fine example of an applicant knowing their stuff and doing their research.

“One of my biggest inspirations is William Deloitte, who is often considered the grandfather of accounting.’ There are many things about Deloitte’s life that inspire me. He started his career at 15, opened his own accounting practice at 25, and eventually founded one of the largest firms in the world that continues to operate today!

He was incredibly motivated and continually aimed high. He never let obstacles get in his way, a trait I aspire to have. Deloitte also had impressive interpersonal skills, a natural inclination for leadership, and an eye for innovation.

All those characteristics made him one of the most prominent names in accounting. His story constantly reminds me to be ambitious and strive for excellence in this field.”

In our second example, the applicant isn’t talking about a well-known figure. Instead, they’re choosing to highlight a teacher who significantly impacted their life. They’re interviewing for a journalist position, and this teacher helped hone their skills while cementing unteachable traits.

This response works well because the applicant has a genuine connection to the individual. They discuss how that person made a difference and connect it all back to the position they’re trying to get.

“There are many people who inspire me in my career, but I believe that my senior-year English teacher, Mr. Smith, is the greatest inspiration in my life. Before Mr. Smith’s class, I was relatively indifferent to journalism. But after only a few weeks in his class, I discovered the power of words.

He pushed me outside my comfort zone, encouraging me to write about life experiences. Mr. Smith inspired us to write about challenging topics, teaching us to stand behind our words while using them to connect with readers.

Mr. Smith came in every day with an evident passion for writing. He did more than have us complete simple worksheets or fluff essays. His assignments were impactful, and I continue to use his lessons to ensure that every piece I write is authentic.

I admire his dedication to the craft, and I hope my words can inspire others as much as he inspired me.”

Our last example is about a difficult subject to create an answer for: A family member. Earlier, we mentioned that providing simple responses about a family member is not wise. But here’s an example of when you can talk about someone close to you while still keeping it relevant and thoughtful.

The applicant is trying to get a sales job and decides to talk about their father. While their father works in a slightly different field, they bring up relevant traits that matter to the position they’re trying to get.

“My biggest inspiration is my father. Not only has he inspired me throughout my life, but there are so many details about his career that I find aspirational.

He started in marketing at the age of 19. In just a few short years, he established a small, local firm. It continued to grow until he had a client portfolio that was 250-strong throughout the state.

My father taught me that building solid relationships with clients was paramount. He always stressed that communication and maintaining a professional relationship with clients were just as important as competence in your work.

For years, I watched him speak to clients as if they were old pals, and they had great respect for him. I hope to take that same dedication to customer satisfaction in my career, building a loyal customer list that sticks around for years to come.”

“Who inspires you?” is an interview question that you should prepare for like any other. It doesn’t matter if it seems less serious than others, because interviewers will pay close attention to your answer.

Pick someone relevant, find a unique angle and practice. If you follow these steps, your answer will be just what the interviewer was looking for!

Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success .

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10 of the most inspiring leaders of all time: remarkable stories of iconic trail blazers who went from adversity to extraordinary & redefined leadership.

Last updated: 2 April 2020

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It was never going to be an easy feat, was it? To create a list of the most inspiring leaders who have redefined leadership , oh, and then dwindle this list down to a mere 10.

Seriously, where do you even start?

One of the reasons this became somewhat an impossible task is because inspiration comes in many forms and has many faces.

Some leaders became great because of how they persevered with a dream in spite of their circumstances, only to go on and achieve such extraordinary things that they continue to be revered long after their deaths.

While others stuck by their values and protested for the rights of others, even when it jeopardized their own freedom… not mention their lives.

Whereas some leaders are truly inspirational and well-respected because of their natural flair to innovate, empower and influence others to act in meaningful ways and ultimately change the world.

So the list below isn’t exhaustive by any means. But it certainly contains some of the most influential leaders who have shaped the world for the better and inspired positive changes among millions, if not billions. Not a bad litmus test when you’re measuring the true merit of a leader, we think.

10 Of The Most Inspiring Leaders Of All Time Who Have Redefined Leadership

Let’s dive on in then, shall we?

1. Mahatma Gandhi – The Anti-War Activist With A Global Legacy

Mahatma Gandhi left his mark on the world in more ways than one.

The leader of India’s independence movement achieved remarkable feats through a form of non-violent civil disobedience that would inspire millions around the world, including many of the people on this list.

World leaders, scientists, philosophers and even entrepreneurs have drawn inspiration from Gandhi, whose spiritual significance was just as profound as his role in liberating India.

Gandhi was born in India in 1869, a country that was then part of the British Empire. His youth was perhaps uncharacteristic of the Gandhi the history books remember.

After an arranged marriage at the age of 13, Gandhi rebelled against his deeply religious upbringing by smoking, eating meat and even stealing. By age 18, he set sail to London to study law.

A fledgling law career in India would eventually send the 24-year-old Gandhi to South Africa. It was here that he witnessed the deep-seated discrimination and racial segregation of South African society.

Perhaps the biggest turning point in young Gandhi’s life occurred on June 7, 1893, where he was thrown off a train station by a white man after he refused to move to the back of the car. That would prove to be Gandhi’s first, but certainly not last, act of civil disobedience.

By 1906, Gandhi had organized his first mass civil disobedience campaign in South Africa. He would spend the next 9 years fighting for Indian rights in the country before returning home to fight for Indian liberation .

Over the years Gandhi would become a leading figure in the liberation movement. After years of struggle and multiple arrests, Gandhi’s “Quit India” movement in 1942 paved the way for Britain’s eventual withdrawal from the country.

Although a pacifist, Gandhi was murdered by a Hindu extremist who resented the leader’s tolerance of Muslims following the declaration of Indian independence.

A man who had spent his life preaching nonviolence was killed by a semiautomatic pistol at point-blank range .

Gandhi is today remembered for his commitment to pacifism, peaceful protest and simple living . He single-handedly inspired millions of people to action , preaching a message of love, tolerance and avoiding greed.

For those reasons he inspired civil rights movements from Apartheid South Africa to the United States and is today remembered as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century.

2. Winston Churchill – Resolute Leadership During One Of The Most Painful Episodes In Human History

Winston Churchill is long remembered as one of the greatest leaders in modern history and the savior of democracy.

He was tasked with the daunting task of leading Britain and the Allied powers to victory against the Nazis during the Second World War. His wisdom, upright character and persistence led Britain from the brink of defeat to victory in the most brutal war of the 20th century.

Winston Churchill was born to an aristocratic family in 1874 and served in the British military. He would go on to become a prolific writer before entering into politics. Churchill became British Prime Minister in 1940 during the height of the Second World War.

His long political career is also remembered for its persistence . It took Churchill a staggering 40 years to finally become Prime Minister . But when he finally took the helm, he became arguably the greatest leader of the 20th century.

He was not only instrumental in working with the United States and Russia to defeat the Axis powers, he helped establish the post-war peace that would lead the western world through one of its greatest periods of prosperity.

Churchill’s leadership style would prove so powerful that he would be elected Prime Minister again in 1951.

Among Churchill’s greatest strengths was his power of oratory, which helped him connect with an entire nation. His life was filled with memorable quotes that leaders to this day use for inspiration.

Phrases like, “We will never surrender,” “The Iron Curtain” and “This was their finest hour” have withstood the test of time. Among his many honors include a Nobel Prize for Literature and being the first person to become an honorary US citizen.

Churchill’s inspirational leadership style is especially notable when you consider his bitter struggle with depression – the so-called “black dog” of his existence.

In fact, historians attribute many of Churchill’s successes to his ability to use his manic depression and bipolar personality to his advantage . These are just some of the reasons that make Winston Churchill truly special.

The following Churchill quote still serves as a powerful motivational nudge to stick with your convictions even when the going gets tough:

“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

Now you know why they called Winston Churchill “The Bulldog.”

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3. Martin Luther King Jr. – Celebrated Civil Rights Activist That Forever Changed America

“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” – Martin Luther King Jr

Very few Americans are as celebrated as Martin Luther King Jr., the Baptist minister and social activist who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States until his tragic death in 1968.

As an African-American born in the rural south in 1929, MLK faced an uphill battle all his life. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, the young Martin was considered a precocious student who paid little attention to his studies and found great discomfort in religion.

That all began to change in his junior year, when he took a Bible class and renewed his faith. By 1948, he had earned a degree from Morehouse College before moving on to the Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. It was at Morehouse College that MLK opened his eyes to racial inequality.

Following years of successful civil rights activism, MLK and 61 other activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957.

Two years later, MLK visited Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace in India, which emboldened him to continue down the path of peaceful activism.

On August 28, 1963, MLK would leave his mark on American history by delivery the famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

King had such a profound impact on American race relations that his efforts resulted in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which authorized the federal government to desegregate public accommodations. The same year, MLK received the Nobel Peace Prize.

MLK would continue his activism until his assassination on April 4, 1968. His killer, James Earl Ray, was eventually apprehended after a two-month manhunt.

King’s assassination was a tragic end to a remarkable life that had a seismic impact on an entire nation.

He proved, just like Gandhi, that non-violent protests can influence tremendous change. MLK gave his life to the civil rights movement.

Nearly 50 years after his death, his legacy is stronger than ever. The third Monday of every January is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an observed federal holiday in the United States.

4. Nelson Mandela – A Man Whose Cause For Freedom Proved Triumphant

Very few individuals personify dedication and patience like Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected President. Getting there was a story so epic that it was made into a Hollywood biopic in 2013.

Much like Martin Luther King, Jr., Mandela was one of the great transformative civil rights leaders of the 20TH century.

He not only directed peaceful demonstrations against the deeply racist South African government, he went on to claim the Nobel Prize in 1993 for helping to end apartheid.

Mandela was neither a politician nor an opportunist, but a man deeply committed to improving the lives of his people and applying the same message of freedom and equality to all nations.

“I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days.”

Born in 1918, Mandela became involved in the civil rights movement as a young man, and spent 20 years leading a peaceful defiance against the apartheid government. His commitment to ending apartheid landed him and 150 others in prison in 1956 on charges of treason.

Although they were acquitted, Mandela began to recognize that an armed struggle was necessary to achieve real change. His involvement with the MK movement, an armed wing of

the African National Congress (ANC), landed him back in prison in 1961 after organizing a 3-day national workers’ strike.

Mandela was eventually sentenced to life in prison in 1963 for political offenses. He would spend the next 27 years in jail, where he endured cruel punishment and contracted tuberculosis.

During that time, Mandela was offered early release if he renounced armed struggle – a condition he flat-out refused to consider.

It wasn’t until February 11, 1990 that the now 72-year old prisoner was released under South Africa’s new President, Frederik Williem de Klerk, who helped broker the deal to end apartheid.

One year later, Mandela was elected leader of the African National Congress after it was also unbanned by de Klerk. Mandela would become the South Africa’s first black president in 1994 after the country’s first democratic elections.

The title of Mandela’s autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, aptly describes his lifelong journey to ending apartheid. It’s hard to think of many leaders in history who gave more to his cause than Nelson Mandela. For that reason, he is one of the most celebrated people in modern history.

Mandela died on December 5, 2013, at the age of 95.

5. Albert Einstein – Rewriting The Laws Of Nature For The Betterment Of Humanity

Albert Einstein is perhaps the most famous scientist of the 20th century. The prized physicist had a profound impact on our understanding of the universe , including basic concepts such as time, light and gravity .

To this day, his work is being used to guide physicists to new frontiers, helping us to understand our significance on the grandest scale.

Born in Germany in 1879, Einstein was slightly different than all the boys. His head was a little bigger and he hardly spoke a word, which led at least one housekeeper to label him “retarded.” Little did she know, this “retarded” boy would eventually go on to reshape the world through his ideas.

By age 26, Einstein had obtained his PhD. The same year he published 4 important papers on topics ranging from the nature of light to mass-energy equivalence.

While largely ignored at first, these papers would eventually make a tremendous contribution to the scientific community, including the famous E= MC2 equation for mass energy equivalence .

These papers also contained the seeds of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity , one of the most revolutionary ideas in history.

Although it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly the nature of Einstein’s brilliance, he had all of the characteristics of a genius.

He had a vivid imagination, questioned everything and found new ways of thinking about old problems . He also had an unrelenting work ethic that pushed him to action even on the day of his death, where he was reportedly working on a speech for a television program.

The final picture of Einstein’s office taken hours before his passing showed a man who was deeply consumed in his work right up until the very end.

In addition to his timeless quotes and deep sense of humour, Einstein is remembered for overcoming adversity. From physical setbacks as a young boy to spending two frustrating years looking for work as a teaching assistant after graduating, Einstein’s life was filled with challenges.

His ability to keep a positive attitude and provoke creative thought experiments were at the centre of his genius. More than 60 years after his death, the world remembers not a man who spent years working at a patent office, but a man who changed the world.

6. Abraham Lincoln – The Embodiment Of Liberty And Great Emancipator Of Slaves

Abraham Lincoln was more than just an American hero; he represented the dawn of a new era in human civilization based on freedom, self-government and equality .

Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1809. He knew his mother all of 9 years before she died of milk sickness at the age of 34.

Her death devastated young Abraham and further alienated him from his father. One year after his mother’s death, Abraham’s father married a woman who had a significant impact on Abraham’s life by encouraging him to read.

As one might expect, there was little time or need for a formal education in the Indiana wilderness. Abraham’s formal education began much later in his life and amounted to a mere 18 months.

That said, Abraham was incredibly talented. Largely self-taught, he eventually became a lawyer before getting elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1846. It was here that his brilliance influenced what would become the freest and most prosperous nation on earth .

Lincoln rapidly modernized the economy without sacrificing his values . By 1860, he secured the Republican Party presidential nomination and was elected president. Lincoln’s victory prompted southern slave states to form the Confederate States of America.

Abraham became leader of the Union during the American Civil War, where he used his power of oratory to deliver the Gettysburg Address and other powerful speeches to win over support of the American people.

To this day, Lincoln is synonymous with the principles of liberty, democracy, equal rights and unification.

His willingness to stand alone on issues he believed in made him one of the most beloved and memorable leaders in modern history.

His refusal to compromise on the issue of slavery and instrumental role in leading the north to victory during the Civil War made him the target of Confederate plotters and sympathizers.

Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate supporter, on April 14, 1865 – less than one month before the end of the Civil War.

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7. St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) – Nobel Lauriat Determined To Ease Suffering In The World

Mother Teresa’s unforgettable devotion to help the world’s poorest, most impoverished and vulnerable people left a lasting dent in the world.

Her remarkable leadership was even powerful enough to cut across conflicts and enemy lines — a strength clearly exemplified during the 1982 Siege of Beirut .

Mother Teresa managed to broker a temporary cease-fire between the Israeli army and Palestinian guerrillas to rescue 37 children trapped in a front-line hospital. Teresa then travelled through the war zone alongside Red Cross workers to evacuate the young patients.

What inspired Mother Teresa’s tireless drive to help others? Born in 1910 as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, she grew up in present day Macedonia. Perhaps influenced by her father’s death when she was only 8 years old, Mother Teresa already decided to commit herself to a religious life by the time she was 12.

Her real journey began in 1929 when she arrived in India where she became a nun and taught at a convent in Eastern Calcutta for several decades.

The 1943 Bengal famine which killed a staggering 2.1 million people was a life changing moment for Teresa and left an unshakable impression on her. After 20 years of teaching at the convent, she felt a “calling within a calling” and left her position as headmistress to aid the poor.

Teresa then moved into the slums where she faced hunger, poverty and homelessness.

Despite the lack of equipment and supplies, she found a way to open a school for poor children teaching them to read and write using sticks in the dirt.

Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. A new community soon formed around Mother Teresa opening hospices, clinics and orphanages throughout India. Within a few years the mission went global .

By the 1970s, the congregation was helping orphans and those afflicted by addiction, poverty, disability, old age and disaster around the world. In 1979, Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work to overcome poverty and suffering.

Mother Teresa’s passed away in 1997 but congregation continues to live on to this day spreading Mother Teresa’s vision and serving those in need.

In 2016, the Catholic Church recognized Mother Teresa as a saint and canonized her as St. Teresa of Calcutta for her heroic virtue.

8. Stephen Hawking – The Physicist Who Proved That Determination And Positive Thinking Can Triumph Over Even The Most Severe Limitations

Stephen Hawking probably had every reason to give up on life.

Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21, he would spend most of his life severely disabled to the point where he controls his communication device through movement of his cheek muscles.

Despite his debilitating condition, Hawking became arguably the most well-known theoretical physicist since Albert Einstein. Hawking is known for his groundbreaking work on cosmology, quantum physics and black holes .

Hawking came from humble beginnings. The eldest of 4 children, Stephen was born in England during the Second World War. By his own admission, Hawking didn’t spend a lot of time studying.

That didn’t stop him from graduating with full honours before pursuing a PhD in cosmology at Cambridge University.

Much has been written about Hawking and his thought-provoking theories on the universe. He has received worldwide acclaim not only for his work, but for his determination in overcoming a severe disability.

When he was originally diagnosed with ALS, he was given only two years to live. That was over 50 years ago. On overcoming his disability, Hawking provides this brilliant quote:

Hawking’s attitude comes from his sheer refusal to make excuses for his disabilities . His ex-wife Jane Hawking attributed his outlook on the world to a combination of determination and stubbornness . As Hawking clearly demonstrates, both traits have their pedigree.

As does his humor and humble nature, which has been evident throughout his career. For instance, when asked what it feels like when he makes a significant scientific discovery, Hawking replied:

“I wouldn’t compare it to sex, but it lasts longer.”

9. Bill Gates – Entrepreneur And Philanthropist Who Inspired An Entire Generation Of Innovators

Very few people are as synonymous with their industry as what Bill Gates is with information technology (IT).

It wasn’t until the age of 13 that Bill saw his first computer at school. He actually paid to use it, and when his money ran out, he hacked into the computer to use it for free. At this point you could say young Bill was destined for an innovative career in IT.

Bill Gates grew up in an upper middle class family in Seattle, Washington and had a very close relationship with his mother. From an early age he showed flashes of brilliance, including a knack for business and entrepreneurship.

By the age of 15, he had already started a business with his friend Paul Allen. Little did they know that just 5 years later they would be on the path to changing the way the world does business and even communicates.

In 1975, Gates and Allen co-founded Microsoft. And the two poured everything they had into it. Gates’ incredible vision, aggressive business strategy and unrivaled work ethic made Microsoft the world’s biggest technology company. In the process, he became incredibly wealthy.

By the time Gates and Allen decided to incorporate Microsoft in 1981, the company already had 128 employees and generated $16 million in revenue. Just two years later, the company went global.

However, it wasn’t until 1985 that Gates would truly leave his mark on the world. That was the year Microsoft launched Windows, its flagship software.

For more than two decades, Gates has routinely ranked among the richest people in the world, and in 2016, Forbes trumped this by ranking him as the richest man in the world . But those riches didn’t come without sacrifice.

Gates worked tirelessly to build Microsoft and ensure its leadership pace in an increasingly competitive market. It wasn’t until 2014 that Gates stepped down as Chairman only to remain active as a technology advisor.

Today, Microsoft generates nearly $100 billion annually in revenue and employs 120,000 people worldwide.

Incredibly, the founding of Microsoft isn’t Gates’ only legacy. As a committed philanthropist , Bill and his wife Melinda Gates have established a $44 billion endowment designed to improve healthcare and reduce extreme poverty around the world.

It is by far the largest private foundation of its kind in the world. By 2013, Bill Gates had personally donated $28 billion to the foundation, a testament to his generosity and moral character.

10. Oprah Winfrey – Overcoming The Odds To Empower An Entire Generation Of Women To Succeed

Oprah Winfrey is much more than a television talk show host. She is one of the world’s most powerful business leaders who exerts a great deal of influence on popular culture and mainstream society.

Valued at over $3 billion, Oprah has come a long way from the rural in Mississippi, where she was born. To say that Oprah, a black woman from the south, overcame the odds would be a huge understatement.

Very few people with her background and double-minority status would ever dream of making it in show business during the 1970s and 1980s.

Oprah’s battles didn’t begin with her race or gender. Her youth was filled with horrible sexual abuse at the hands of relatives and family friends.

After a turbulent adolescence in the small farming community of Kosciusko, she moved to Nashville to live with her father. She would eventually enter Tennessee State University in 1971 before moving to Baltimore, Maryland 5 years later to begin her career in television.

By 1986, Oprah had her own nationally syndicated television program, Oprah Winfrey Show . This was the platform that catapulted her to critical acclaim and global recognition.

During the 1990s, when talk shows like Jerry Springer were dominating the ratings with trashy topics, Oprah promised to keep her show respectful and free of exploitive topics .

Although ratings fell initially, Oprah stuck to her guns. Oprah’s integrity would lead her to more fame and prosperity over the years, as she became a mainstay in an industry filled with cheap tricks.

In addition to her television show and media celebrity, Oprah has made incredible contributions to the publishing world through Oprah’s Book Club. This segment of her show not only promoted literacy, it helped unknown authors become recognized for their work.

Her generosity didn’t stop there. Through various charities, she has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to help children and underprivileged youth all over the world.

According to Forbes, Oprah was the richest African American of the 20th century. Life Magazine also recognized her as the most influential woman of her generation , a testament to this media icon who has not only done it all, but inspired an entire generation of young women to pursue their dreams – regardless of their race or ethnicity.

So there you have it.

Ten inspiring leaders whose vision, perseverance and commitment to their values helped them rise up in the face of adversity and achieve almost impossible triumphs.

Learning more about their incredible stories and how they have redefined leadership has given us more of an insight into what it takes to become an inspiring leader, how about you?

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Who Inspires You and Why? 5 Best Sample Answers with Examples

Who inspires you and why? It is one of the most common interview questions that employers ask at some point in their lives. We all have role models who inspire us to be better people, but we often don’t take the time to think about who they are.

who inspires you and why answers with examples

This blog post will explore who inspires you and why they inspire you. We will also look at how we can use these people as motivation in our own lives.

Table of Contents

What is inspiration?

Inspiration can be defined as the process of stimulating the mind to create new ideas or thoughts. It is often used in the context of creativity, but it can also apply to other areas of life such as motivation, problem-solving, and leadership.

Why are people inspired by others?

One of the most common reasons people are inspired by others is because they have achieved something that we admire. Maybe they have overcome great odds to achieve their goals, or they have made a significant contribution to society.

Another reason people are inspired by others is that they possess qualities that we aspire to have. Maybe they are kind and compassionate, or intelligent and successful.

Lastly, people are often inspired by others because of the way they live their lives. Maybe they are always positive and upbeat, or maybe they live life with a sense of purpose. Whatever the case may be, we can all learn from someone.

How to find role models who inspire you

One of the best ways to find role models who inspire you is to think about the people who have positively impacted your life. These could be family members, teachers, coaches, mentors, or friends. Once you have identified these people, take some time to reflect on why they inspire you.

It is also important to seek out new sources of inspiration, especially if you feel like you are in a rut. There are many ways to do this, such as reading biographies or watching TED Talks. You can also follow inspiring people on social media or attend events where they will be speaking.

Why does the interviewer ask this question?

The interviewer asks this question for a few reasons.

First, they want to know you better and see what motivates you.
Second, they want to see if you have the ability to be inspired by others. This is important because it shows that you can learn from other people and that you are not just focused on yourself.
Third, they want to see if you can identify who your role models are and why they inspire you. This shows that you are reflective and have thought about who has positively influenced your life.
Answering this question well can give the interviewer a good sense of who you are and whether or not you would be a good fit for the job.

How to answer the “who inspires you and why?” interview question

This question can demonstrate your values and what you believe is important in life.

Some things to keep in mind when answering this question:

Be specific about who your role model is and why they inspire you.
Avoid saying that you don’t have a role model or that you are your own biggest inspiration.
Talk about how this person has helped you in your life or career.
Share what qualities or traits you admire about this person.

Sample Answers to Who inspires you and why?

Teacher example.

“One of my high school teachers, Mr. Smith, was a huge inspiration. He always went above and beyond for his students and pushed us to be our best. I aspire to have that same dedication to my work and want to help others reach their potential as he did for me.”

Relationships Example

Friend example.

“My best friend is a big inspiration to me. No matter what life throws her way, she always stays positive and keeps moving forward. She’s also an amazing listener and gives great advice. I aspire to be more like her in my personal and professional life.”

Mother example

“My mother is my biggest inspiration. She’s an incredible woman who has overcome a lot in her life. She’s always been there for me, even when things were tough. I aspire to be as strong and compassionate as she is.”

Public Figure

Martin luther king jr..

Martin Luther King Jr. is my inspiration of mine. He was a civil rights leader who fought for equality and justice. His dedication to his cause is something that I admire. He once said, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'”

Steve Jobs is another one of my inspirations. He was the founder of Apple and is widely considered a genius in the tech world. I admire his dedication to his work and ability to think outside the box.

He once said, “Your work will fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all heart matters, you’ll know when you find it.”

Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg has also inspired me. She is the COO of Facebook and has written a few books, most notably Lean In. What I admire about her is her dedication to her career while still making time for her family.

She is a working mother and is proof that you can have it all if you are willing to fight for it. In her book, she talks about the importance of women supporting other women in the workplace. She says, “We need to start leaning into our careers and stop holding ourselves back. We need to believe in our abilities and trust that we can achieve our goals.”

Elon Musk is another one of my inspirations. He is the founder, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX, co-founder of Tesla Motors, and chairman of SolarCity. He is also the founder of The Boring Company, a tunnel construction company.

What I admire about Elon is his vision for the future. He wants to make humans a multi-planetary species, and he is working hard to make that happen. He is also a big advocate for renewable energy and believes that it is the key to saving our planet. He once said, “The first step is to establish that something is possible; then probability will occur.”

Questions to Ask Elon Musk

In conclusion

Role models are important because they can inspire us to reach our goals and become the best versions. When answering the question “Who inspires you?” be specific about your role model and why they inspire you.

You can also talk about how this person has helped you in your life or career. Lastly, share what qualities or traits you admire about this person. Answering this question well can give the interviewer a good sense of who you are and whether or not you would be a good fit for the job.

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Essay on Who Inspires You the Most

We all are surrounded by different types of people and things around us. Among these many of them give us some beautiful lessons of life and thus become inspirational figures for us. I think you all would be having someone in your life that inspires you in every moment of life.

Short and Long Essay on Who Inspires You the Most in English

In the short and long essay below I have described my own experience about someone that inspires me the most in my life. I think this will give you a clear idea about the topic. It might be an aid for the students in writing an essay, competitive exams, projects, and assignments.

10 Lines Essay on Who Inspires You the Most (100 – 120 Words)

1) Everyone has one person that inspires them to take every decision in their life.

2) My mother is the person in my family who inspires me the most.

3) She supports everyone and is the backbone of our family.

4) Her selfless and unconditional love for family inspires me to be like her.

5) I want to be helpful, multi-tasking, strong, and kind like her.

6) Her life and work motivated me at every step of my life.

7) She taught me to be brave and work hard to achieve all my dreams.

8) She works happily all day without complaining and hesitating.

9) She dedicated her life to keeping everyone happy.

10) I love my mother and wanted to become strong like her.

Short Essay on Holiday (200 – 250 Words)

Introduction

Inspiration is necessary for motivating us in our life. Inspiration helps in boosting ourselves to do things that are important to achieve what we desire in our life. We can be inspired by anything either it is a person, activity, or thing. Many of us want to become like the person who inspires us the most.

Inspiration helps in changing our lives

We all desire to be successful in our lives and thus we do continuous effort for the same. Inspiration is something that energizes us in the path of success. It motivates us and helps us in doing our best. Everybody has someone in their life that is the greatest inspiration for them. It can be someone from our family or the world outside. It is the characteristics and outstanding qualities of the people that make them be an inspiration for us. Our inspiration makes us enthusiastic about achieving our goals in life. It helps in enhancing our creativity that makes us different from others. It inculcates motivation in us that keeps us reminding about our aim in life.

Inspiration fills us with positivity

We all are aware that failure is a part of success. We all need to have courage and a strong mindset to face these failures in life. It is sad to state that many of us become sad or hopeless after facing failures in life. Inspiration is a positive energy that helps in getting rid of the hopelessness and depression in our life. It inculcates positivity in us and adds enthusiasm again in our life.

Conclusion Inspiration helps in changing the way of our thinking and doing things in our life. It is necessary to have an inspiration to bring light into our dark lives.

Long Essay on My Real Inspiration in My Life (1000 Words)

Every day in our life we get inspired by something or by different people in our life. Despite being inspired by many we all have somebody in our lives that inspires us the most. This choice may differ from person to person. We all are heading forward in our life to become successful. It is only the inspiration that makes a great difference in our thoughts and helps us achieve our goals and get success.

What is Meant by Inspiration?

Inspiration is the inculcation of a spirit that motivates a person to do something in his/her life. It is most important for everyone in our lives. This inspiration changes the way we think about our life. It helps in moving forward in our life by removing all the life hurdles in a positive way. This also helps in making us believe in our own power and capability.

When we observe some good qualities in others we want to do the same in our life. It changes our perspective of living. This can only happen when we get inspired by people or thing that makes us think positive as well as motivate us for doing something. We need it most when we are depressed or sad by some failure or great loss in life. It is the inspiration only that makes us strong again to fight the battle of our life. Inspiration is that idea that can change the lives of many people.

My Biggest Inspiration

I have been inspired by a number of people and instances in my life. Inspiration to me is like a catalyst that awakens my power and ability to work. The biggest inspiration in my life is none other than my family and the person I admire the most is my father. He is the one who has inspired me from my childhood. His qualities like hard-working nature, discipline, sacrifice, and sympathy inspire me a lot. I want to work and become like him always in my life but every time some or the other thing is missing.

A Light on My Father’s Life – A Great Inspiration for Me

He was born in a farmer family and his father died at a very young age. There was no one to give him financial support for his studies. He had a keen desire to study and therefore he somehow managed to complete his primary studies in the village itself. After returning from school my father used to help his mother with the fieldwork. Later he lived with his relatives and completed his higher studies. He had to undergo different kinds of problems and sufferings but he managed to survive with all types of adversities.

He had a goal that he will not return to his village bare-handed. He was a Hindi-medium student but used to learn different English words from the boards and pamphlets he saw on the way to the university. He made a lot of effort to make himself ready for different interviews. He had been a student of Hindi-medium but his fluency in English speaking is superb. It is the result of his efforts and hard work. I always get an inspiration from the life of my father. He has provided me whatever I needed. He never wants me and my sisters to face the situation that he had been through.

What about Him Inspires me a Lot?

My father has a good habit of reading books whenever he is free from his office works. He has his own library of books. My father always teaches us to never become afraid of any situation in life. Sometimes my father has been harsh with me but it is because he never wants me to be down in my life. He has a lot of expectations from me and my sisters. The way he manages every work in life gives me a great lesson. He teaches me every day and is good at all subjects. Whatever he does not know he reads and then explains it to me. Once I was very ill and therefore I could not prepare well for my exams. I was much worried about this but my father gave me the courage to give my best and leave the results on God.

He has supported me many times whenever I have been in any stressful situation. The way my father struggled in his life to get out from the clutches of poverty and become self-dependent in his life encourages me to do something big in my life so that I can make my father proud of me. Whenever I am discouraged, the words of my father make me again ready to fight and win in any type of situation. This thought always revolves in my mind that when my father could make his way through such an adverse situation then why cannot I, after getting every kind of facility. This helps me to gather sufficient courage and enthusiasm and easily face every difficulty in my life. I always want to be a reason for the smile on the face of my father.

Is Inspiration Really Important in Life?

Inspiration is that igniting spark that can help us to achieve whatever we want in our life. It is necessary for making us better and successful in our life. It is a thought that can change the life of many. It can come into us at any time when we get inspired by people or certain instances in our life. It is most important as this brings positive energy within us to do something in our life. Inspiration is necessary for changing our way of thinking. When our thinking is directed in a positive way, our actions themselves take their direction and thus help us in achieving greater heights in our life.

We are known by our thoughts and actions. Inspiration is an idea that can mold our thoughts and bring a change to our actions that may surely lead us towards success. I am very blessed to have my father in my life as my best friend and a great source of inspiration to me.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans . Motivation and Inspiration Day is celebrated on 2nd January since 2002.

Ans . Inspiration is the force that makes us do something good in our life.

Ans . The synonyms of inspiration are creativity, innovation, imagination, encouragement, etc.

Ans . The person who inspires us is called as inspirer or influencer.

Ans . When we are inspired we do feel motivated to do something that may lead us to success.

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How To Answer “Who Inspires You?”(+ Example Answers)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Who inspires you? It’s an interview question that feels out of place. After all, why would the hiring manager care? It has nothing to do with your ability to do the job, right?

Well, the hiring manager does have a reason for asking the “Who inspired you?” interview question. If you’re wondering what that is and how you can craft a stellar answer, here’s what you need to know.

What Is Inspiration?

First, let’s take a second to talk about what inspiration is in the first place. Typically, you can’t properly discuss who inspired you if you don’t know what it entails.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary , inspiration – in this context – is “someone or something that gives you ideas for doing something.” In the end, that’s a pretty accurate synopsis.

Inspiration of this type involves getting a strong sense of direction or desire to take action based on the efforts, perspectives, or positions of another. Essentially, you’re motivated to excel or take a particular path because of something another person stands for or achieved.

Some inspiration is incidental in that the person you admire wasn’t aiming to give you a particular idea about the direction of your life. However, some is intentional. For example, parents strive to inspire their children to succeed. Teachers want to inspire students, and mentors feel the same about mentees.

Being able to discuss your sources of inspiration openly works in your favor. It helps you showcase your intrinsic motivations for excelling, allowing you to highlight why you find a particular career path meaningful. It can also highlight what may keep you pressing forward during challenging times, as your motivation comes from deep within.

So, is there a right kind of people to look up to if you want to answer this question successfully? Well, yes and no. Technically anyone could do the trick if you can demonstrate how they’re inspiring you can benefit the hiring manager. However, some people are easier to sell in that context than others.

Generally, it’s better to stick with broadly respected or clearly respectable figures. Anyone controversial may work against you, even if your reasons are valid and don’t have anything to do with the potentially divisive points.

Why Does the Hiring Manager Ask This Question?

Generally speaking, hiring managers ask the “Who inspires you?” interview question to learn more about your motivations for pursuing various paths. It can also give them clues regarding why you have specific traits, depending on the situation and how you present it.

In many cases, when you choose people to look up to, that also speaks a bit about your values. Often, we admire those who walk paths we respect, so who you discuss can give the hiring manager some surprising insights about what you view as important.

Finally, the person you select can give the hiring manager ideas about your overall personality . Research shows that people are drawn to individuals they feel are similar to themselves. Since that’s the case, the hiring manager may assume you have a similar personality to the person.

Common Mistakes When Answering This Question

While you might assume that there isn’t a wrong way to answer this question, that isn’t technically true. One of the biggest mistakes is choosing a controversial or divisive figure. While you might admire them, the hiring manager may feel incredibly differently.

Generally speaking, it’s best to stay away from current political figures, religious icons, and many entertainers. People often have strong, gut reactions to people in those arenas, which may not work in your favor. However, political, religious, or entertainment-oriented jobs can be an exception.

Another big misstep is not having examples to highlight why the person inspires you. Simply listing off traits isn’t going to make a strong answer. Instead, you need to describe a moment where what the person brings to the table is demonstrated, making it easier to see why the impact was so great.

You also want to avoid talking about multiple people. Regardless of whether they’re inspiring, your answer becomes unfocused. As a result, it’s better to concentrate on one person instead of several.

Finally, never say you inspire yourself. Even if you’ve had an incredibly challenging journey, it makes you seem self-centered, and that’s never good.

Just remember, this is just one question the hiring manager could ask you in your interview! That’s why we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview.

Click below to get your free PDF now:

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Tips for Answering This Question

Creating a great answer to the “Who inspired you?” interview question might seem tricky, but you can do it if you use the right approach. If you have no idea where to start, these three tips can help.

1. Start with Some Reflection

Usually, you need to look inward if you’re going to pick someone who inspires you. Consider the various people you’ve encountered in your life, particularly those that you respect and admire. As you come up with options, see if you can identify moments that capture why they had an impact.

If you’re having trouble finding one that affected your life in a way you want to discuss during a job interview, turn your attention to a new direction. Think about noteworthy or historical public figures that may fit the bill.

With the latter approach, you do want to be wary of clichés. While some figures are undoubtedly inspiring, they may be part of answers the hiring manager has heard before. Since you want your answer to stand out, consider figures who aren’t likely go-to options for people.

2. Come Up with a Specific Example

As mentioned above, simply listing positive traits people possess and saying that’s why you find them inspiring isn’t going to work. Instead, you need to make the answer a quality story by discussing an example that highlights why you find them inspirational.

Choose a moment you were either involved in or directly observed for people you know personally. For public figures where there wasn’t any interaction, focus on moments where they overcame relevant challenges on a path toward success.

3. Keep the Answer Brief

When you admire someone, you might feel you could happily talk about them for hours. The problem is, you need to keep your interview moving forward.

Since that’s the case, keep your answer reasonably short. Ideally, you should be able to wrap up your response in less than two minutes. In some cases, even a minute is fine, depending on the story you choose to showcase why you find them inspiring.

If you’re concerned about the length, practice will help you keep it under control. Decide what you want to cover, and then time yourself. If you’re in the right zone, repeat the process until you’ve got the content and timing down. If you’re not, think about what you can remove to get it under the two-minute threshold.

How to Answer the Interview Question “Who Inspired You?”

Now comes the moment you’ve been waiting for: how to answer the “Who inspires you?” interview question.

So, how do you get on the right track, not just with crafting your response but picking a great person to discuss? Well, you’ll want to start with the Tailoring Method .

The Tailoring Method teaches you to focus on relevancy. It’s a strategy based on addressing the hiring manager’s needs, ensuring your answer relates to their priorities and impresses.

After that, it’s mainly about refinement. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to help you out, followed by some example answers:

Step-by-Step Guide

Making sure your answer is on-point isn’t overly challenging. Mainly, you want to touch on critical details using a strategic approach. Here’s how to do it.

1. Choose the Example

When you begin your answer, the first sentence should always include the person’s name and the assertion that you find them inspiring. After that, it’s time to talk about why.

Ideally, you want an anecdote that showcases the skills and traits you want to emulate. That will make your connection to them clearer and ensures your answer is engaging.

2. Outline the Story

Once you know which example you want to share, break it down into four major components by answering specific questions. First, what prompted the moment to occur? Second, what happened in that moment? Third, why was that moment meaningful to you? Fourth, how did that put you on the path you’re walking now or the one you’d like to walk?

If you cover those bases, you’re providing enough information. Ideally, you want to limit yourself to just a couple of sentences for each point. That way, your answer is thorough but concise

3. Practice (and Cut) for Time

As mentioned above, keep your answer under two minutes whenever possible. With your story outline created, craft a response that follows the narrative path. If you want, record your response. That way, you have the length of the answer and a recording you can review if you need to continue practicing or cut content.

Continue rehearsing and refining until the timing is right. Then, practice that answer until it sticks.

Who Inspires You? Example Answers

Now that you know how to answer the “Who inspired you?” interview question, it’s time for some examples. Here is a look at how you can approach the question, using different types of people for each sample.

1. Family Member

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

My older sister is easily my biggest inspiration. When she was a high school student, she was in an accident that left her severely injured, with years of recovery ahead of her. While many people would let that get them down or use it as an excuse to not move their life forward, she didn’t.

She was diligent about her physical therapy and returned to her studies as soon as she was cleared. In the end, she didn’t just manage to recover from her injury; she graduated from high school with honors and landed an academic scholarship for her top-choice college. That level of commitment continues to inspire me to this day.

2. Historical Figure

One person I greatly admire is Charles Darwin. His contributions to modern biology are, of course, inspiring. However, he also endured harsh conditions during his five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle. Additionally, while we acknowledge the validity of his initial steps into evolution theory, he was considered a heretic during his day.

Ultimately, his bravery, dedication, and conviction are all admirable in my book. Couple that with his assertion that evidence – not blind belief – should be a guiding force, I’m left nothing short of inspired.

My greatest inspiration is Ms. Jane Doe, a former colleague who ultimately showed me that my career could be far more than I initially expected. While I was originally hired into an administrative role in a tech department, Ms. Doe quickly became my advocate. She requested I assist on projects involving more technical work, something my manager supported.

Ms. Doe continued to expand my skill set, because she felt I had potential. As time passed, I developed a passion for the work, particularly handling site installations. My experience led me to return to college and get my degree, allowing me to officially enter the field that Ms. Doe propelled me toward.

Putting It All Together

At this point, you should have a solid idea of how to answer the “Who inspires you?” interview question. Use the tips above to your advantage, ensuring you can craft an outstanding answer whenever the need arises.

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Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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Tips for the College Interview Question "Who Has Most Influenced You?"

Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT

Interview questions about influential people can come in many variations: Who is your hero? Who deserves the most credit for your success? Who is your role model? In short, the question is asking you to discuss someone you admire.

Interview Tips: Who Has Most Influenced you?

You don't have to be creative with this question. Just be honest and thoughtful. Family members, teachers, and friends are all fine answers.
Be careful with polarizing political figures since it can a challenge for your interviewer to be entirely unbiased.
Don't try to impress your interviewer with historical figures like Abraham Lincoln or Mother Theresa.
Focus on a human, not a pet.

Good Interview Answers About an Influential Person

So, who should you name as a hero or influential person? Speak from the heart here. There is no right answer other than a sincere answer. Also, realize that unlike a "hero," an influential person isn't always a positive example. You may have grown and changed as a result of someone whose mistakes or inappropriate behavior taught you what not to do with your life. Answers to the question can draw from lots of different options:

A Family Member— For most of us, parents and siblings have a huge impact on our lives. Answering with a family member is fairly predictable but also perfectly appropriate. Just make sure you can articulate the specific ways in which the family member influenced you.
A Teacher— Is there a particular teacher who got you excited about learning, a subject area, or continuing your education? Since you're interviewing in an effort to continue your education, focusing on an educator can be an excellent choice.
A Friend— For good or bad, your close friends have a huge influence on your decisions and behavior. Do you have a close friend who has helped you succeed in high school? Or, depending on how the question is worded, do you have a friend who influenced you in a negative way?
A Coach— Coaches often teach us leadership, responsibility and teamwork. As long as your response doesn't reveal that you value athletics more than academics, a coach can be a great choice. Try to articulate how your coach has helped you succeed in areas other than sports.
A Community Member— Do you have a mentor in the church or some other community organization? Community members often teach us to think outside of the narrow sphere of our families.

Bad Interview Answers

This question about an influential person, like many common interview questions , is not difficult, but you do want to think about it for a few minutes before your interview. A few answers can fall flat, so think twice before giving responses such as these:

Myself— In truth, you probably are the person who is most responsible for your success. You may, in fact, be self-reliant with no real heroes. However, if you answer this question with yourself you will sound self-absorbed and selfish. Colleges want to admit students who help each other out and work as a community. They don't want solitary egotists.
Gandhi or Abe Lincoln— If you have great respect for an admirable historical figure, that's wonderful. Such answers, however, can come across sounding like you're trying to make a good impression, not like you're answering the question sincerely. In your day-to-day life of classes, extracurricular activities , tests, and relationships, is Abe Lincoln really influencing your behavior? If he is, fine. If not, rethink your answer and work to speak from the heart.
Donald Trump or Barack Obama— Here, as with the example above, is the president (or Senator, Governor, etc.) really influencing and guiding you in your day-to-day life? This question has an added danger. Your interviewer will do his or her best to be unbiased, but interviewers are human. If you name a Democrat and your interviewer is a staunch Republican, your response could create a subconscious strike against you in the interviewer's mind. Both Trump and Obama can be polarizing figures, so be aware of the inherent risks before choosing a prominent political figure for your response.
God— At a college with a religious affiliation, God could be a fine answer. At many colleges, however, the answer is a crap shoot. The admissions officer may admire your faith. Some interviewers, however, will be skeptical of students who attribute their successes to prayer and divine guidance rather than commitment and hard work. That said, you certainly don't need to shy away from your faith in your interview, and a priest or rabbi can be an excellent choice for this interview question.
My Dog— Fido may be a great pet who has taught you responsibility and unconditional love, but keep your answer in the world of humans. Colleges are made up of humans.

A Final Word

Whatever your answer, bring the influential person to life for your interviewer. Avoid vague generalities. As with an admissions essay on an influential person , you'll want to provide colorful, entertaining, and specific examples of how the person has influenced you. Also, keep in mind that a strong answer provides a window into your life and personality, not just the admirable qualities of the influential person. The ultimate goal of the interviewer is to get to know you better, not the person you admire.

Finally, make sure you dress appropriately and avoid common interview mistakes . College interviews are generally congenial exchanges of information, so try to relax and have a good time chatting with the college representative.

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Question 11 of 20

Who has inspired you in your life and why?

How to answer, 1st answer example, marketing example, admin example, retail example, manager example, sales example, teacher example.

Community Answers

This question is something that you should have an answer ready for at all times. Perhaps you look up to a parent who was a hard worker, or a teacher who encouraged you to become who you are today. Whomever this inspiring person may be, remember that the interviewer is looking for a heartfelt response. Your life's inspiration can come from a book, a mentor, your family, a celebrity, author - literally anyone! Talk to the interviewer about who has inspired your life and why.

"I find inspiration in a variety of people and things. I would have to say that the person who has most greatly inspired me has been my grandmother. She always had a smile on her face no matter how hard she worked and she loved everyone. She was well respected and always gave more than she received. I try to live like she did, as much as I can."

"My previous manager was a huge inspiration to me. Her passion for this industry was motivating and put the fire in me to climb the ladder in my marketing career."

"My inspiration comes from my grandmother. She has spent every day of her life working hard, and I have never once heard her complain about being tired and overworked. She taught me the value of a good reputation, and I still seek out her opinion when I need inspiration."

"Many industry leaders inspire me, but I would have to say that my greatest inspiration comes from my mother who always taught me to stay focused and goal oriented, no matter the obstacles that come my way. This way of thinking has greatly attributed to my success."

"I am inspired by the workers on the assembly line. Many of them have hectic lives, mouths to feed, and less than impressive education. They overcome their hardships and come to work every day to make life better for themselves and their children."

"While it may sound cliche, my father is inspiring to me. He moved here in his 30s with two kids, a wife, no English, and no transferable education. He worked as a pizza delivery driver to make ends meet while going to school to learn to code. We may have moved a lot when I was little, but it was because he was always trying to find the next better school for us. I learned my work ethic from him and that I'm never too old to learn something new and push out of my comfort zone."

"My friend, Austin inspires me. He started a business at age 14, mowing lawns, and built it from there. This friend of mine took a risk by not going to college, and we all thought he was nuts, but now he has an incredibly successful business with 3 locations, a brand-new home, and an incredibly happy family life with two cute kids. He saw what he wanted from a young age, made a plan to make it happen, and has executed it so well, without sacrificing his happiness or pursuit of family. I think that's inspiring."

"My oldest son inspires me and has been probably my greatest teacher in life. Firstborns are apt to do that for any parent, but my son has autism, so he has taught me an entirely different way to look at life, understand it, and approach it creatively. I am very fortunate that he is relatively typical and can communicate with us, is mostly mainstreamed, and the like, but he is different. It helps me think differently about how to connect with our world, how to see things uniquely, and how everyone's perspective is valid. His passion for life, his creative brain, and his eternally happy spirit inspire me. He teaches me so much every single day, and I try to infuse my classroom with the lessons he gives me, too."

"I work in a volunteer capacity with a family owned business that was founded to give adults with special needs a community and a place to work. What they are doing for the special needs community is so inspiring to me. I have always been taught to give back and "be the change," and they're walking the walk. It inspires me to make sure I make an impact on this world and give back whenever and however possible."

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How to Answer: Who has inspired you in your life and why?

11. who has inspired you in your life and why.

Written by Rachelle Enns on April 7th, 2018

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What Inspires You: 15 Answers to This Interview Question

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Job interviewers ask many questions. Most are easy to answer, but others have us stopping to think. These are the questions that you need to prepare for in advance… or else you and the interviewer may be sitting there in silence, and someone else may end up getting the position you want.

One of the most frequent questions employers ask, regardless of the field you are interviewing for is some version of, “ What inspires you? ” Today, we are going to look at why this is an important question and what type of answer will allow you to have the best chance of satisfying the questioner.

Table of Contents

What is Inspiration?

Inspiration is the act of feeling so enthusiastic about someone or something that you put all you have into making it successful. Inspiration creates an atmosphere that allows you to go from apathy to enthusiasm in a heartbeat. Inspiration is what keeps you moving ahead despite the obstacles that inevitably appear.

Inspiration allows you to see beyond what is and opens up the entire realm of possibilities . You can say that a person who feels inspiration puts their very essence into whatever they are doing.

Why Do Employers Ask This Question So Often?

Knowing what inspires a person can tell someone a great deal about you as a person. Your answer reveals what you value most in life. It tells what drives you to succeed and what energizes you . People who are inspired have an internal drive to succeed, yet they are not as competitive . They don't strive to beat the competition, but rather help inspire others.

People who are inspired set and achieve higher goals . They are more optimistic, have a higher belief in what they can accomplish, and have a greater sense of self-esteem. Inspired people are not happy staying where they are or following only tried and true methods. They often see paths to success that are hidden from others.

How to Answer What Inspires You

Maybe the reason you want a job is for the money, but that is not what an interviewer is looking for. They want someone who will give their all and keep coming back. Let's explore some general ways you can successfully answer this question and give a few examples.

Keep your answers short and to the point , explain how your inspiration helps you surpass your comfort zone, and always look for a way to explain how this inspiration will help you achieve in the position you are applying for.

If you can't answer this question at the moment, think about what interests and passions you have. Next, think of the things you are good at that could bring added value to the team. Then, try to tie these together. That is a good place to start.

Answer #1. Learning new things.

Even if you are educated in a certain area, every business has its own method of going about things. Your willingness to step out of your comfort zone and admit you don't know everything appeals to those in charge.

Explain how learning new things helps you feel like you are expanding your mind and adding to your ability to approach situations in a new way. This, in turn, allows you to see possibilities where it appears there were none.

Answer #2. Reaching your goals.

“I love the feeling of achievement I get when I have worked toward an important goal and finally achieved it because it allows me to see my ability in a greater light.” Explain how you don't like to simply work without knowing where all that effort will end up.

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People who have goals are much better at overcoming obstacles and continuing even when external influences put pressure on them. When you have a purpose, you can measure your progress, which gives you a chance to change tactics and adapt to what circumstances you are presented with.

Answer #3. Coaching others.

One thing many employers look for is someone they can see becoming a leader within the company. You don't have to be a supervisor to coach others. Describe how you like to discover how another person's skills can help a project grow. Explain that you like the feeling of seeing someone grow and become their best self.

This means you will encourage coworkers, help them achieve their goals, and won't spend unnecessary time competing against them. It shows you are willing to be a team player who can step up and lead should the need arise.

Answer #4. Finding ways to solve problems or overcome obstacles.

Too often, people are willing to quit when the going gets hard. Explain that you welcome challenges because they help you grow. Challenges force you to try new approaches and think outside the box.

Meeting a challenge and mastering it gives you a sense of your own inner strength and resilience, traits you find admirable in others. Finding a solution to a problem forces you to not only dig deep inside for solutions within your knowledge base but also to look outwardly for new information.

Answer #5. C oming up with new, creative ideas .

Company leaders know that a company will not grow if it keeps doing the same thing without changing. If coming up with new, creative ideas is what inspires you, you are an asset to the company. You will want to find ways to help the company grow and become better than the competition.

You can help them come up with new products or services that will appeal to a younger generation that is ready for something innovative. You find opportunities to create more with fewer resources and get work done quicker and in a more efficient way.

Answer #6. Nature as inspiration.

Many people find inspiration in nature. To stand out, you need to provide an answer that is unique. “I find inspiration in nature because I see everywhere how nature survives no matter what circumstances it is given. It is strong, yet gentle. Nature adapts and doesn't sit around complaining about misfortune.

When I see forests become revitalized after a devastating fire, it gives me hope and encourages me to keep going forward.” You could also mention that you find inspiration in the little things that others may overlook. This could be a flower growing through concrete or the way a homeless animal keeps her babies alive in spite of a lack of proper food and care.

Answer #7. Understanding people.

In any environment, the ability to get along with those you work with is a positive trait. In fields such as customer service or sales, understanding people is essential. The same is true about social work. Explain how you enjoy meeting and talking with people from all walks of life.

You enjoy learning about various cultures and trying to understand how individuals think and feel. Explain how this helps you adjust your actions to fulfill their needs and helps you get on the same page as them.

Answer #8. The internal wish to grow beyond what you are.

People need to grow internally in order to grow outwardly. Mentioning the internal need to grow, improve, and become a better person than you currently are will tell the employer that you are a person who isn't content with staying still.

You will welcome the opportunity to learn new skills, will seek ways to invent opportunities, and will help others also grow. Wanting to grow is admitting that you know you are not perfect, but you are willing to work on those imperfections and become your best self.

Answer #9. Music as inspiration.

“When I immerse myself in music, it helps calm my mind. Music blocks out distractions and allows me to focus on what is most important at the moment. This allows me to give my best.” Music creates pathways within the mind that are often underdeveloped. It opens up the mind and allows creativity to flow.

Certain types of music have been proven to increase intelligence. Knowing you are in a peaceful state of mind allows the employer to understand you know how to handle stress and not allow it to stop you.

Answer #10. Reading inspires .

Mention how reading allows you to imagine possibilities that you never would have considered previously. Not only does reading open up the world of the imagination, but it helps you learn new information, gives you examples of inspiring people and situations and helps you grow in a variety of ways.

Explain how reading allows you to access things you might never have the opportunity to encounter in your everyday life. It helps you become focused and creates a calm environment.

Answer #11. People who beat the odds.

Find someone who, by society's standards, had every reason to fail but didn't stop dreaming and working toward their goals. Explain how their resilience, ability to overcome obstacles without giving into self-pity, and their resourcefulness in finding solutions inspire you.

You could also show examples of people who showed courage in the face of danger and found the strength to continue.

Answer #12. Remaining true to values.

Employers want employees with integrity and the ability to stand up against things that might cause them to falter. Talking about how you find inspiration by reading about, hearing about, or seeing a person stand up and stick with what they believed in even if it meant enduring great pain, and even death.

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People like Nelson Mandela are good examples. So are lesser-known people who put their careers on the line to bring notice to corruption. Show that you have a strong inner character that can't be swayed from what you believe is right.

Answer #13. Name a person who inspires you.

This can be someone that you personally know and admire that the interviewer wouldn't know. For example, you might say “I admired my grandmother. She was widowed at an early age and left to raise fourteen children on a mountain farm. She did so without complaint.

She learned things that women weren't normally taught, like fixing farm equipment and she saw that every one of her children got an education. Yet you never remember her complaining and she always seemed to have the time to comfort a crying child and feed everyone. Name the traits you feel she embodied and explain how you want to do the same.

Answer #14 . Creating a winning environment where everyone is inspired to succeed.

Talk about how you believe a good working environment can only be achieved if everyone is inspired to become their best. Talk about how you love to help people learn things like relaxation techniques and mindfulness so they can become focused.

When you show your belief that everyone can succeed, you exhibit your ability to work well with others, lead a team, and understand how to motivate.

Answer #15. Finding a way to make the world a better place.

No, you understand you can't change the whole world, but you can change parts of it. Explain how looking for ways to ease the pain of others and help them achieve a better life is important to you.

Talk about how you want to strive to find ways to save our environment, find all homeless animals homes, or make it possible for everyone to afford medical treatment. If you can relate the causes you worked on, that will gain you points.

Final Thoughts on Answering the Interview Question “What Inspires You?”

Inspiration is essential for rising above your current status and enjoying the work you do. Employers will continue to ask what inspires you, or some version of this question, in order to determine if you will be a good fit in their work environment.

Prepare in advance with your answers and try to tie the answer in with the company's values . Above everything, be honest . It is only with honesty that the interviewer can sense the passion a topic brings for you.

For more motivational ideas, try listening to some of these podcasts . Inspiration is a personal thing and what inspires you can change throughout life, but in the end, it is what keeps you from becoming bored and apathetic . Share what inspires you with others, and your passion will also grow.

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InterviewPenguin.com – Your best job interview coach since 2011

Who Inspires You? Sample Interview Answers

Doesn’t matter if we admit it or not, each of us has some role models. People we look up to, people who inspire us, people we’d like to emulate with our life journey. It can be our parents, friends, famous singers and artists, or scientists, activists, or entrepreneurs who put the dent to the universe. People who left their mark on this Earth.

Who really inspires us, however, and who we should refer to while interviewing for a job , in not necessarily always the same person. But it’s more about our reasoning and explanation than about a particular name we mention in the interview. Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to this interesting interview question, which will work well for any of the following variations of the question:

Mention one person who has inspired you and why.
Who is your inspiration on life?

7 sample answers to “Who inspires you” interview question

My mother is my greatest inspiration. She faced a lot of adversity in her life, and had to raise three children as a single mother. She worked extremely hard to provide for us, but I rarely saw her complain about her fate . What I really admire is her enthusiasm for life, and an ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions. I am extremely grateful for being her child, and I cannot thank her enough for everything. Maybe, by following her example in both my personal and professional life, I can pay back what she did for me. At least that’s what I aspire to.
I am inspired by people who enjoy leaving their comfort zone , and do not mind venturing into the unknown. Be it the famous climbers and athletes I read about in books, or entrepreneurs or scientists who revolutionized the way is which the world functions today. I would also love to leave my mark in this world , and believe that working for your organization, trying to manufacture new ways of distributing renewable green energy to households, I can have such an impact.
Mother Theresa is my great role model, the one person who has inspired me the most. I always felt the calling to help the sick and poor . Today we have more problems and inequality in the world than ever. Working for your non-profit organization, trying to help homeless people and people on the fringe of society to get back on track, I believe I can follow my calling. And I will always carry a small picture of Mother Theresa in my breast pocket, to motivate me to continue trying, even if the results aren’t good, or if I struggle with motivation.

* Do not forget to check also: Answers to 15 most common interview questions .

Every person who tries to live in harmony with themselves, other people, and the environment, inspires me. Most people spend their time rushing somewhere, pursuing an illusion of happiness. That’s not the path I’d like to follow. I’m not in for petty corporate wars and daily conflicts with my colleagues, or for trying to make an impression on people around me. No, that’s not my journey. I prefer cooperation to competition , I want to follow healthy and balanced lifestyle, and bring some value to the lives of people around me. And I am lucky enough to have around me few people who are on the same journey, and they are my daily inspiration.
To be honest, instead of looking for role models, I try to become one . I would love to be an inspiration for people around me, for people in work. How do I want to do it? I want to try my best in job each day , be attentive to the needs of my colleagues, enjoy my time in work, bring some positive energy to the office. And I constantly work on my skills and knowledge, learning new things and languages. I am sure that if my subordinates see such an example, it will be inspiring for them.
I am mostly inspired by people who overcame extreme adversity . People who crossed Siberia while escaping from labor camps for war prisoners, sailors who managed to survive without food for a month or more when shipwrecked on the ocean, or people who pursued innovative ideas that others condemned, and often suffered imprisonment or even dead as a result of their beliefs. Luckily I do not find myself in their shoes, but I still have my personal battles and personal demons I try to conquer. People who overcame much harder obstacles are my inspiration, and they motivate me to continue trying to win in my small daily battles.
Speaking honestly, you inspire me . You are such a young woman, and you already work as an HR director in a big company. I’d love to learn more about your journey–where you studied, what results you achieved in your former jobs, how you managed to progress so quickly in your professional career. Maybe if we become colleagues I will get a chance to learn more about your way. But hats down really and you are definitely an inspiration for me.

Try to connect your answer with your new job

When you define qualities of a person who inspires you, you can try to connect these qualities with your new job . Look at sample answer no. 2, or at sample answer no. 3, as a great example of this technique. Job applicant talks about Mother Theresa (a famous person, each hiring manager will know what she did in her life), and immediately bridges it with their duties in the job–helping homeless people.

We typically look up to certain qualities, or achievements of a person–that’s their identity in our eyes. If you can, try to pick someone who would do a great job in your new employment, or at least someone who has the right strengths and personal traits for the type of work. You want to emulate their qualities, and hence you will also do such a great job.

* Special Tip: “ Who inspires you?” isn’t the only difficult question you will face while interviewing for any decent job. You will face questions about prioritization, dealing with pressure, dealing with ambiguity , and other situations that may happen in the workplace. If you want to make sure that you stand out with your answers and outclass your competitors, have a look at our Interview Success Package . Up to 10 premium answers to 31 tricky scenario based questions (+ more) will make your life much easier in the interviews. Thank you for checking it out!

Applying for leadership roles, you can try to be an inspiration for others

When you apply for a managerial or executive position, or for any other leadership role in an organization, you can try the approach from sample answer no. 5. Instead of looking for role models, you want to become one for your colleagues.

If you opt for this answer, however, you should clearly define what you want to do to inspire other people . In an ideal case you should talk about work related things–how you want to approach your job, what attitude you want to have to your colleagues, and similar. You can be confident, but you should not sound cocky . Present them your ideas, and a humble desire to be the role model for your subordinates.

* May also interest you: How to dress for an interview? 5 things to consider when choosing clothes to wear.

Saying that your interviewer inspires you is a risky approach, but it can do wonders in some cases

Let’s face the reality of today’s economy. People strive for recognition, but often they do not get it. Some people work hard and overtime and do whatever they can for their company, just to impress their superiors, to hear some words of praise from their mouth. But their superiors don’t understand it, or are too consumed in their own ego to praise anyone else in the company.

Such a person can easily lead the interview with you . Manager who strives for recognition of their efforts and achievement, but does not get any . If you praise such a person in an interview, if you call them your role model, your inspiration, it can have a huge impact on them, and on the way in which they perceive you.

You may immediately become their favorite job applicant , and they may even feel obliged to pay you back the favor somehow–perhaps letting you progress to the next rounds of interviews. At the end of the day, even the most skilled recruiters and managers are human beings. They have their emotions, desires and dreams . If you manage to touch something profound in them, you may win them over.

Having said that, answering their question in this way definitely possesses some risks, and you should think twice whether to opt for it or not…

Ready to answer this one? Great! Now you should check our Interview Success Package 2.0 for up to 10 premium answers to all 104 interview questions. Learn something your competitors won’t know, and outclass them in your next interview! Alternatively you can have a look at sample answers to the following questions:

What makes you unique?
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Why should we hire you?
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Parent item expand the sub menu, c-beauty leader florasis sets sight on global expansion with samaritaine.

The brand is partnering with LVMH's DFS unit to launch its first European counter at Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf in September.

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LONDON — Florasis, a leading C-beauty brand known for beautiful Chinese traditional culture-inspired products and packaging, has partnered with DFS , the selective retail arm of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, to open its first outpost in Europe at Samaritaine Paris Pont-Neuf.

Opening on Sept. 1, Florasis’ counter will sit at the center of the beauty floor, adjacent to a wide array of international premium beauty brands. The space will enable the brand to demonstrate what the fusion of Eastern beauty philosophy with Western luxury retailing would look like.

China insight: behind the delisting of footwear and apparel enterprises, a more stringent chinese stock market is tightening up, pronounce designs costumes for chinese adaptation of shakespeare's 'macbeth'.

Known to be an affordable brand in China loved by millions, the brand said it aims to maintain a consistent global pricing strategy. That said, the pricing at the Samaritaine counter will be considered to reflect the local market dynamics, including factors like import duties and currency fluctuations.

Gabby Chen, global expansion president at the Hangzhou-based Florasis , locally known as Hua Xizi, said the partnership with DFS , particularly at Samaritaine in Paris, provides the brand with “a strategic location synonymous with luxury and style.”

“This partnership is exclusive in the French market for one year. It allows us to establish a strong brand presence and exclusivity that appeals to the luxury consumer’s desire for unique and culturally rich products,” added Chen.

The location is expected to appeal to both international travelers and local Parisians.

“This dual focus allows us to capture the cosmopolitan essence of Paris, catering to luxury consumers looking for unique beauty products whether they are visiting from abroad or are residents appreciating local and international luxury offerings. The exclusive nature of our DFS partnership further enhances the appeal to those seeking unique shopping experiences that cannot be found elsewhere in the French market,” explained Chen.

Amael Blain, senior vice president of beauty at DFS, said the retailer was “captivated by the brand due to its impressive cosmetic lineup and dedication to exquisite packaging design.”

He added that Samaritaine will host a series of masterclasses for VIPs in L’Appartement, a members-only lounge, to learn about the history of Florasis, its products, and parts of the Chinese culture that have inspired the brand.

The executive observed that C-beauty brands have been gaining traction and popularity with Chinese consumers. Therefore, DFS was interested in establishing a presence and exploring opportunities within this emerging business segment.

“We see the beauty in what Florasis stands for, from their products to the exquisite designs and likewise, Florasis appreciates how DFS is a leader in luxury travel retail with an expansive global network hence our partnership cannot be more opportune than this. DFS will continue to monitor the C-Beauty trend, identify new brands, and bring them to our network of stores if these brands are relevant and will delight our customers,” he added.

Following the launch at Samaritaine, which becomes a gateway to introduce the brand’s rich Chinese cultural heritage to a wider audience, according to Chen, there is a broader strategy to expand globally into other key international markets.

Japan was the first international market the brand expanded into. It now has an online distribution deal with Amazon and opened a pop-up counter at Isetan Shinjuku last September.

Chen said that experience has been “instrumental in understanding the nuanced preferences of consumers in a highly sophisticated beauty market.”

“Japanese consumers value both tradition and innovation, aspects that are core to our product development. Insights gained from our Japanese market will influence not only product formulation but also marketing strategies, focusing on authenticity, heritage, and technological advancement in beauty solutions. These learnings will be crucial as we prepare for our upcoming launch at GinzaSix in Tokyo in the fourth quarter of 2024,” added Chen.

Other key events in the pipeline for the brand in 2024 include the launch of a new skin care line designed to bridge the gap between traditional herbal medicine and contemporary skin care science, as well as a series of limited-edition releases that celebrate key Chinese cultural events and artistic achievements.

She also confirmed that the rollout of stand-alone stores will come next after the brand gains enough exposure from high-profile locations and strategic partnerships.

In terms of products, Chen said the Floral Engraving Phoenix Makeup Palette continues to be a top seller after winning global accolades, as it captures the essence of traditional Chinese aesthetics with modern cosmetic innovation. Additionally, the Blooming Rouge Lovelock Lipstick Collection has seen remarkable popularity, both in China and abroad for its rich pigmentation and nourishing properties.

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1. Keep your answer short. It may be easy to spend several minutes answering this question because of several factors: You want to share about a person you respect. You want to talk about several people. You want to explain several values you and your inspiration share. You want to tell the employer about every detail of your inspiration's life.
Essay on Who Inspires You the Most
10 Lines Essay on Who Inspires You the Most (100 - 120 Words) 1) Everyone has one person that inspires them to take every decision in their life. 2) My mother is the person in my family who inspires me the most. 3) She supports everyone and is the backbone of our family. 4) Her selfless and unconditional love for family inspires me to be like ...
How To Answer "Who Inspires You?"(+ Example Answers)
1. Choose the Example. When you begin your answer, the first sentence should always include the person's name and the assertion that you find them inspiring. After that, it's time to talk about why. Ideally, you want an anecdote that showcases the skills and traits you want to emulate.
Answering the Question "Who Has Most Influenced You?"
This question about an influential person, like many common interview questions, is not difficult, but you do want to think about it for a few minutes before your interview. A few answers can fall flat, so think twice before giving responses such as these: Myself— In truth, you probably are the person who is most responsible for your success.
Who has inspired you in your life and why?
1st Answer Example. "I find inspiration in a variety of people and things. I would have to say that the person who has most greatly inspired me has been my grandmother. She always had a smile on her face no matter how hard she worked and she loved everyone. She was well respected and always gave more than she received.
What Inspires You: 15 Answers to This Interview Question
Answer #5. C oming up with new, creative ideas. Company leaders know that a company will not grow if it keeps doing the same thing without changing. If coming up with new, creative ideas is what inspires you, you are an asset to the company.
Who Inspires You? Sample Interview Answers
When you define qualities of a person who inspires you, you can try to connect these qualities with your new job. Look at sample answer no. 2, or at sample answer no. 3, as a great example of this technique. Job applicant talks about Mother Theresa (a famous person, each hiring manager will know what she did in her life), and immediately ...
C-beauty Leader Florasis to Open First Euro Store in Samaritaine
The Nomadic Glam range, which is inspired by the local culture of Inner Mongolia, will make its European debut for the occasion. C-beauty Leader Florasis to Open First Euro Store in Samaritaine

Essay Samples on Someone Who Inspires Me

How to Write an Essay on Someone Who Inspires Me

A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

The People Who Shaped Me

Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

Life Lessons in the Diary of Anne Frank

The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich: An Inspiration to All

Tara Curb, Her Acts of Kindness Association, and Her Unique Vision of Kindness

Biography of Jackie Robinson - National Hero

Life And Art Of Andy Warhol

Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

100 Words Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

His Beliefs

His Actions

250 Words Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

Fighting for Rights

Freedom Struggle

500 Words Essay on Famous Person Who Inspires You

Albert Einstein’s Early Life

Einstein’s Achievements

Why Einstein Inspires Me

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Interview Questions

Answers to “Who Inspires You?” (5 Examples)

How to Answer the “Who Inspires You?” Interview Question

Here’s a good example of how to answer this interview question by matching your inspiration to the job.

Here’s another example of thinking about the job when answering “Who inspired you in your life?”

Who Inspires You? Example Answers

Example #1 for Who Inspires You: Mother Teresa

Example #2 for Who Inspires You: Albert Einstein

Example #3 for Who Inspires You: Michael Jordan

Example #4 for Who Inspires You: William Deloitte

Example #5 for Who Inspires You: Your Father

Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “Who Inspires You?”

8 Types of People You Can Say Inspired You

12 Expert-Approved Responses to ‘What Makes You Unique?’ in Job Interviews

Student Essay: The Power of Stories to Inspire Strong Leaders

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How To Answer “Who Inspires You?” (Examples Included)

Table of contents

1. Pick Someone with a Personal Connection

2. Keep Your Answer Relevant

3. Dig Deeper

4. Keep It Brief