How to Inspire People

Whether you're trying to inspire someone to quit drinking, trying to encourage people to donate to a homeless shelter, or you’re simply looking for ways to inspire your teammates, there are plenty of techniques you can use. From subliminal messages that will encourage people to do better, to spotlight-stealing motivational speeches, there are so many different ways to inspire. If you want to learn how to inspire people, we’ll teach you everything you want to know!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

General Techniques

1
Be sincere. If you seem fake or insincere, no one will be inspired. They would never be impressed with you if you are trying to be someone. They have to think that you believe what you're saying and you have your own concept in life which you believe in living it. If you don't believe, if you're just peddling snake oil as it were, then why should they believe you? The best way to be real, and show that this matters to you to is to make it actually matter to you. Be enthusiastic and throw yourself into what you do.^{[1]XResearch source} After all, it's your life.
- Show a genuine interest in people by being curious about their lives and asking questions. You can learn a lot from anyone!^{[2]XExpert SourceTara Bradford
  Life & Mindset CoachExpert Interview. 16 September 2020.}
Try not to use yourself as an example when inspiring people. This tends to make it seem like you're making things all about how cool you are. Instead, leave it at a simple "I know where you're coming from" or "I've done this before" and then turn it immediately back around to them. Only share your experiences if they ask.
Never let the people you're trying to inspire see you get really angry or really upset. Stay strong. People get nervous when undertaking difficult tasks, and they need to know that someone is in control of the situation. If you can't handle the pressure then how can they?^{[3]XResearch source}
4
Expect their best performance. Don't set the bar low. Don't disrespect them by acting like you think they can't accomplish anything. Expect and show them that you expect that they can do great (but not impossible) things.
- It is important to only ask for things that they can achieve, and the bar is usually best set right above goals they have previously accomplished.
If there are hurdles, acknowledge them. Identify what they are. But you should also identify how those hurdles can be handled. Emphasize that they are surmountable. This will give your audience confidence that you are prepared.^{[4]XResearch source}
Once you've acknowledged the problems that you may face, make those problems seem not only insurmountable but small. Compare them to other problems that have been faced or talk about why they may not even be problems at all.
Examples from popular culture or history are a great way to inspire people for all sorts of purposes. You can use inspirational movies, historical figures, quotes, or even hurdles that they themselves have overcome in the past.
Hope is the most important thing for inspiring people. You have to give them hope. They need to think that there is a goal, a light at the end of the tunnel, a reward for the struggles that they'll face. How you do this will depend on your situation, just make sure not to end on a down note.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

To Work Harder

The best way to inspire your staff to work harder or push through a rough period is to lead by example. Take on more work than you have to and help them with their own work when you can. An active manager who works right alongside them is more inspiring than one who just sits behind a desk.^{[5]XResearch source}
Make sure that their needs are met. Show them that you care about their personal well-being. When they do something that's worthy of recognizing, recognize it. Promote them when they deserve it. All of this makes them want to do more for you because they know that you're going to fight for them.
Get them invested in the work that they do. Make them proud of the product they make or the service they offer. If they take pride in what they do, they'll be much more likely to work hard and strive for perfection.
When you promise them something or give them an incentive, you have to make good on that promise. Failing to meet expectations will only make them wary of your future promises and they'll be unlikely to take incentives seriously any more.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

To Help Others

Give them a legend, a fairy tale, where the problem that needs to be overcome (homelessness, hunger, poverty, etc.) is a dragon to be slain. Create an epic feel around the task that needs to be completed.^{[6]XResearch source}
Next, make them the hero of the story you've created. Tell them that they are the only ones who can overcome this terrible obstacle. Make them feel not just necessary but vital. And, here's the key, make them feel like they're the only one/s who can help. People frequently won't help if they think that someone else will step in to be the hero.
Use their emotions to show them why their help is so necessary. Put them in the emotional place of the person that needs help. Be as descriptive as possible: the easier it is for them to imagine, the more likely they are to want to help.^{[7]XResearch source}
Let them feel like helping results in good things for them as well. Outline for them not only the good feeling they'll have but also the physical rewards they'll see (good resume content, business incentives, marketing opportunities, etc.).
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

To Help Themselves

If someone is having serious problems, whether they show it or not they're probably already judging themselves really harshly. Everything you could say to them they've probably already thought about. This means that one of the most productive ways to help them is to just listen to them. Be their sounding board.^{[8]XResearch source} They may just talk themselves into whatever you were trying to get them to do!
Show them that you care. Don't judge or shame them. Sympathize and let them know that you understand that the mistakes they made were only human. They need to see that you are on their side, even if that side turns out to be doing the opposite of what they want to do.
People who make continuously bad decisions tend to think very little of themselves. Generally, if you've made some really poor decisions, you know it, right? Sometimes their poor opinion of themselves even causes them to do bad things to begin with. Build their sense of self-worth by showing them all the incredible things they can do and you'll find that they may start fixing their own problems.
Some people think that they can't overcome obstacles because they have too many faults. Help them to understand that everyone has faults and that we all have to work around them or overcome them.^{[9]XResearch source} Show them that perfection isn't necessary but that effort counts for everything.
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Tips

Try to come off as having a lot of faith in people. Expecting people to be a good person always helps people to be inspired, and people will open up to people that they think believes in them.^{[10]XResearch source}
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Helpful0 Not Helpful0
Try your best. Always go into things with good intentions and positive thoughts. Most likely, you'll be admired for your determination and will tend to do better. When you lose a soccer game or have a bad day at school or work, try to go through it with a quiet smile and do better next time. Don't blame it all on yourself, nor should you blame it on anyone else. It will make you look the opposite of inspiring. This is common sense, but it's surprising how many people forget how awesome they really are!
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Words alone don't do much. Telling an experience will help more or showing someone you care will do more. It's you that inspires them, not your words.
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Warnings

Don't become overconfident. People don't like talking to people who act as if they are over them. Have faith in people instead.
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Helpful16 Not Helpful1
Don't treat people like they are a problem or they are somehow deficient. People usually think they are alright although they may feel self-conscious about something. If they think they have a problem and are self-conscious, you'll just make them feel bad when you treat them like they are broken. If they don't think they have a problem, you will offend them instead of actually helping. Treat people like they are an equal. We all have problems, after all.
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Helpful32 Not Helpful7
Sometimes, you cannot do anything because it might be something physical instead of something emotional. Sometimes, people are better off having medicine or therapy to overcome difficulties.
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Helpful25 Not Helpful8