You may not know it, but people are inspired by you! Dedication, intensity, and focus - you have worked hard to achieve it. Read on to find out how you can share your positive experience with others and inspire even more people!

Article Summary:

Everyone in health and fitness has been inspired by someone else at one point. You have the potential to change someone's life for the better. You don't have to know a person to be a positive influence on his or her life.

Introduction 

If I asked you to name off three people that inspired you to start working out and to become a bodybuilder or athlete, who would you name? Would it be Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ronnie Coleman, Sylvester Stallone, or perhaps someone else?

Everyone that is a part of this sport in one capacity or another has been inspired by someone else. Regardless of who it is that inspired you to start living this lifestyle, you are obviously glad they did because you now are much more confident in yourself both as an athlete and as a person thanks in part to those that inspired you.

Of course I knew about Arnold and when I first started training, Dorian Yates had just retired and Ronnie Coleman had just upset Flex Wheeler to win his first of what would be 8 Mr. Olympia titles.

 Click Image To Enlarge.
Ronnie Coleman At The 2007 Olympia.
View More Pics Of Ronnie Coleman At The 2007 Olympia.

The person who inspired me to get involved in this industry, however, wasn't even competing at the time. I watched a video called Body of Work that was produced by Bill Phillips and it was documenting the first transformation contest that would eventually be known as Body-for-Life.

Most of the people that watched that movie at the time wanted to be like one of the ten winners of that first competition. I wanted to be like Bill Phillips personally. He was ripped, strong, very intelligent, successful, and was inspiring people he never met before to get in shape and change their lives from that moment on. That kind of influence and passion really spoke to me. 

Even today, he is still playing a part in helping people start their health and fitness journeys.

He Did It And I Can Too! 

When I first started training after watching that movie, I thought I would have to get rich, start a big business, and become famous to inspire others to get in shape as well. That was what Bill did and that was my plan as well.

As I was training, eating, and growing over the process, I was getting more confident in myself and that only inspired me to train harder and eat better because I felt I was getting closer to my ultimate goal of inspiring others like Bill Phillips.

Then one day, a gentleman stopped me on my way out of the gym and wanted to speak to me in private for a few minutes. He wanted to thank me because he saw me walking to the gym, training hard, and drinking my protein shake as I walked home and he thought to himself "If he can do it, I can too!"

He signed up at the gym that day and as he was speaking to me, he had lost 25 pounds and felt better than he had in years.

That moment changed me forever because I learned a lesson that I keep in mind to this day and I hope to pass on to those of you reading this and may be wondering if what you are doing is worth it.

Regardless of whether you are rich, famous, or just one of the regulars at your health club, you have the power to inspire others and change their lives for the better. You can inspire members of your family, your friends, your co-workers, or as I found out, people that you don't even know can be inspired by your actions. I don't know about you, but that is absolutely amazing to me. It inspires me just thinking about it.

 Click To Enlarge.
Regardless Of Whether You Are Rich, Famous, Or Just One Of The Regulars
At Your Health Club, You Have The Power To Inspire Others
And Change Their Lives For The Better.

How You Can Inspire Others 

At this point you may be wondering how you can influence others in a positive way too. What can you do to help someone start training, eating healthy, and becoming a better person too? I am going to cover three things that I feel have helped me over the years both help people and keep myself inspired. These points can help you do the same thing and more.

1. Be Proud Of What You Have Done 

Part of the whole mystique of being inspired by someone is knowing that the person is proud of what he or she has done. 

Regardless of what the feat is, be proud of what you have accomplished because it took a certain mindset, determination, and passion to reach your goals. Most of those people that have been or need to be inspired are more than likely feeling down on themselves and are looking for something to make themselves feel a sense of pride again. 

Seeing someone coming out of a gym with that confident look is something to be admired. You are focused on your goals and going to the gym every day and not cheating on the diet shows that you are organized, dedicated, and successful.

All of those qualities are what people look for themselves and seeing it helps them realize that it is reachable for them too.

 Click To Enlarge.
Part Of The Whole Mystique Of Being Inspired By Someone
Is Knowing That The Person Is Proud Of What He Or She Has Done.

2. Be Humble 

Although you should be proud of what you have done on your journey, most people don't like those guys that brag about everything they have done day in and day out. Everyone has an ego but being a braggart not only fails to inspire people but it actually will turn most people off of what you are doing.

I am sure you have heard the stigma about how those muscled up guys in the gym are so narcissistic and do nothing but admire themselves in the mirror and have stuck up attitudes. That is not the image that inspires people.

Being the first one to talk about yourself, making claims about yourself, and feeling the need to tell everyone of your accomplishments doesn't show confidence. It seems like a cry for attention and praise.

Now if someone asks you about what you are doing, then obviously they want to know more about you and this is the time to talk about your accomplishments and accolades. Talking about yourself is okay as long as it is the proper forum and you know your listener could be inspired by what you have done.

3. Be Approachable 

Chances are someone is going to work up the courage to finally approach you and ask if you can share any wisdom that can teach them to do what you have done. Taking the time to talk to people, especially younger people, goes a long way in showing others that they not only can do what you have done, but they should do it.

I don't care if you are a bodybuilder, pro athlete, successful CEO, or the employee of the month at the office. Being a nice person goes a long way in proving to others that they need to do what you are doing. Nothing beats being positive.

Now if you are in the middle of training when someone approaches and you really want to stay on the task at hand, there is a positive way to handle this. You can tell the person that you really need to concentrate on the training session and if he or she wouldn't mind waiting a little bit, you will be happy to talk afterward.

If you need to get out of the gym in a hurry, pass on an email address and say to contact you that way and you will be happy to help. Most people will understand you saying no as long as you show that you are interested in helping somehow.

 Click To Enlarge.
Talking About Yourself Is Okay As Long As It Is The Proper Forum
And You Know Your Listener Could Be Inspired By What You Have Done.

Inspiring Others And Not Knowing It 

Now those points are if people talk to you. You could very well inspire people and not know it. Think about it. Have you ever been in the mall and seen someone with big arms and thought to yourself "Man I would like for my arms to be that big." Then you think about that guy the next time you are in the gym. It may not be on a major scale, but that guy inspired you and he never met you.

Ladies, have you ever seen a fit, toned woman walking in the store and thought to yourself, "If I lost weight, I can look like that too." Doesn't it stand to reason that you could very well be doing the same thing for someone in a bar or at the store after reaching your goals? That is a very powerful thought to me and I am sure it is to you too.

 Click To Enlarge.
You Could Very Well Inspire People And Not Know It.

Conclusion 

I hope you now have a better understanding of the true potential you have in the bodybuilding and fitness world. Whether you are inspired by Jay Cutler or Branch Warren or you are like me and you are inspired by those that try to help others like Kris Gethin, Hany Rambod, or Bill Phillips, you should now know that you have the potential to inspire others the same way.

I feel the greatest honor I have ever received is when people have said that I have inspired them to start training, eating, and living as a bodybuilder or fitness athlete. I feel a little stronger during the next workout.

Knowing you have that same power and potential should give you that same energy the next time you are in the gym and you may inspire someone along the way.

 Click To Enlarge.
You Should Now Know That You Have The
Potential To Inspire Others The Same Way.