Most of us have been inspired by someone in our lives...maybe a teacher, family member, friend. Tell us who provided your inspiration and why.

 

My parents mostly, my father especially.

 

Good Morning Guys,

I've been up all night working so please disregard any nonsense that I might post.

Mom and Dad are good people and I love them to death. They NEVER gave up on me, even when they should have. I never would have made it without them.

Kip Koons was an inspiration to me. He was a Jehovah Witness friend of mine during high school. He used to steal money from his Grandmother and blow it on drugs, pinball, pool and such. EVERYTHING he did, he did extremely well. I have never met anyone who can compare to him.
I lost touch with him after he ran away from his JW life. He could be dead like many of my old friends, for all I know. I know, a lot of contradictions. The spark of Kip Koons still lives with me.

 

My maternal grandfather - we spent a great deal of time together, and our times together were the happiest moments of my childhood.

 

Parents - absolutely.

I have to say that one of the most inspirational people in my life was one of my music teachers in Junior High school. He had me audition for All-City band even though I was only in the 7th grade. He convinced a classmate and I that we would be able to make it if we tried. We both made it and he even flew us in his Cessna as a reward.

Sounds silly - but that really was a life-changing experience for me. Anything seemed possible after that.

 

Early in my career, I guess my first boss (architect) inspired me a little. OTOH, I later learned that he was really a pompous egotist without much real design talent. Oh, well...

Maybe I'll have a better answer to the next question

 

Actually, my parents mostly, especially my father, and my wife. They believed in me and my abilities when I didn't. They inspired me to try again when I was almost ready to give up.

My father taught me most everything that I know that's worth knowing. Maybe the most important thing that he taught me was that I could accomplish anything I wanted to so long as I made up my mind to accomplish it and worked for it. He taught me that tomorrow will always be better than today, and that I have an obligation to share my luck with those around me who haven't been quite so lucky as I have been.

My parents taught me the value of family, and about how when nobody is there, your family will be there. My parents taught me to be honest, and deal in an upfront manner. They taught me that the I'd always have to look at myself in the mirror, no matter what I thought I'd gotten away with or how I thought I fooled others.

My father inspired me to reach for the sky, and he taught me that even if I couldn't reach the clouds, I'd still be better off than had I not tried.

My father was a pretty smart man.

 

It makes me a little sad, but I really can't say that my parents inspired me. I don't think either of them really reached their full potential in life; maybe their growing up in the Depression era dampened their spirits?

OTOH, my father was my best supporter in all of my plans and goals. I think that he lived vicariously thru me...thus I could "do no wrong". My mother was a good, loving parent....but never pursued her own career (RN) and probably always regretted that.

 

No one inspired me but I learned different things from different people.

My mom wasn't a loving person but she did value learning and said education is never wasted. She also told me I could do anything I put my mind to. I also learned from her how NOT to be a mom.

My dad never paid us kids much attention but he is a very honest person. I learned to love honesty and straight forwardness from him.

I had a boss a Lockheed in Burbank, Scotty Webster, who was always friendly, smiling and cheerful towards every person he walked by, no matter how he really felt. He taught me that it might just make someone's day if you greeted them like that or at least could give them a bright spot in their day.

Oh and Mr. Daneli, my 8th grade science teacher. He was the one who sparked my interest in science. He always kept me interested and I loved learning from him.

 

Without a doubt it was my parents. First of all, neither one of them ever finished school but managed to put together a good life for us. Education had to take a back seat for them (when they were young) as they needed to go to work to help support their families.
Dad always said, "Work hard, be honest and don't embarrass the family!" This has always stuck with me. He was probably one of the most honest people I have ever known.
They tought me that it doesn't take a lot of money to make a person happy, it's how that person lives their life. ( ) Although more money would help!
Mom was a clean freek, and she would say, " Just because you are poor doesn't mean that you have to be dirty." Dad used to joke that Mom wore everything out from cleaning it!
They had good values and passed them on to us.