Currently on a tour of Indonesia, and away from the day to day activities of modern life, I have had time to think about the things that are most important. For me a biggie is being inspired. It doesn’t matter what the source of that inspiration is, it might be a book, an image, a person… or just a feeling brought on by an experience. It is difficult to describe…but I know it when I feel it! It occurred to me that inspiration is often something we seek in mentoring. So I thought I would share some stories from my travels that have prompted my thinking.
My first stop was Bali – a brief break in Nusa Dua intended to provide respite from the long flight. Here I met a Scot, now living in New Zealand who, retired and, at the age of 73, still mentored others in his field. When we met he was taking a break after attending a conference in Jakarta. Why was this inspiring to me? It provided a reminder that age is no barrier to following our passions and it made me think that having passions is one of the things that keeps us young.
From Bali I took a flight to Lombok and met a woman at the end of her travels. Her story began after a painful life event which left her feeling a little lost. She decided to take a trip but not just any trip…she flew out to New Zealand with no plans other than to spend the next six months winding her way back. The absolute freedom associated with having no plans is both scary and empowering. There is an element of risk, but also a sense of hope in what the future might bring. This might seem alien in the world of risk- averse working cultures but it reminded me that one of our greatest gifts is the ability to believe in ourselves, to know that, whatever happens it will be OK. More than that, by giving ourselves space we open up to opportunities, and who knows where that might lead?
My final encounter was with a Morrocan women who lived and worked in Paris. I had noticed her the day before we met because she had a natural air of confidence and seemed to take great pleasure in whatever she was doing. Later, I discovered that she organised her worklife to allow for travelling (I didn’t get the detail of exactly how that was achieved) but the takeaway for me was the sheer joy she seemed to experience with each adventure. I had a sense of someone who was able to live in the moment and that was truly inspiring.
One response
I love to be inspired too. Amazing how much we can learn through brief encounters with other people.