Poll of the Day > Inspiration. Did anyone inspire you in your life?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I am watching The Legend of Bruce Lee on netflix, it's a 50 episode show breaking down his life.
This reminded me that Bruce Lee was one of the inspirations to me working so hard when younger.
Unlike most, he wasn't an inspiration for me taking martial arts, I did that long before I heard of him or saw his movies.
But his ideas on life, his work ethic etc, inspired me when younger. I worked very hard through my teens and 20's, always
doing the best I could at every job I had. I often worked multiple jobs, or went to school full time while working a full time
job etc. I saved my money towards having a family some day and was very motivated.

For the past almost 4 years though I have had no motivation at all. I mostly just try and pass each day as painlessly as possible
and ensure I am not a burden or drain on anyone or society. Medical issues have made things hard for me, even to volunteer much
anymore, and now the virus has trapped me at home for the past 6+ months.

I am incredibly lucky that I do not get out of shape easily with lack of exercise because I have given up on that almost entirely. I even
have not been eating as healthy as time has gone on. Still even the motivation and effort I had towards possibly teaching again or
being a teaching assistant has waned as the months go on, and it seems less and less likely that I will be able to do either in the
near future.

But, for the second time, watching this series and learning about Bruce Lee's life (which I have almost completely forgotten at this point), has inspired me. While I am still stuck inside for now, I started exercising again, and will eat healthy again. I may even start jogging at night (when there are not so many people everywhere).

I don't know if this will stick, or if i'll just revert to just doing the minimum to survive again, but I hope it does.

Has anyone inspired you throughout your life?

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Not really, no.
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No, because I do not live in a fucking movie lol
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Kyuubi4269 posted...

No, because I do not live in a fucking movie lol

you have to live in a movie to be inspired by someone? @Kyuubi4269

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Bruce Lee definitely inspired me. My parents also. An artist (painter) I once worked with for 3 years.

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If you only count inspiration as a paradigm shift in life goals, then no... but if you count inspiration as even the subtle changes you gradually ... something something subtle/gradual ,then I've been greatly inspired by ma mom and dad

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Lokarin posted...

If you only count inspiration as a paradigm shift in life goals, then no... but if you count inspiration as even the subtle changes you gradually ... something something subtle/gradual ,then I've been greatly inspired by ma mom and dad

That is awesome. I did not have traditional parents so was not able to be inspired by them, I looked outward for inspiration and Bruce Lee was one of them when I was younger. I was also inspired by others kindness (usually through churches or organizations like Young Life) and have always tried to help others and be a positive influence because of that.

I do not hear from people that their parents inspired them very often, usually everyone does't want to become like their parents!!!:) I always envied people when young for having parents, and hated when they would complain about them or rules etc, often even cursing and yelling at their parents. They did not understand how lucky they were.

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SunWuKung420 posted...

Bruce Lee definitely inspired me. My parents also. An artist (painter) I once worked with for 3 years.

That is cool! How did the painter inspire you if I might ask? Was it how he or she lived their life, or their work ethic, or just that they decided to do what they enjoyed or had talent in, even if it didn't pay much right away?

Art is not my strong suit, in fact it was the only class I got an A- in when working on my bachelors degree (communications). I was very frustrated by that (it was graphic arts as part of the IT portion). I have been very impressed by many artists in my life though, and often amazed at what they can create.

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Yes. Henry Miller.

I read his book Tropic of Cancer and I proceeded to renounce my religion, quit my job, write a book and a bunch of music, travel the country, and bang more chicks in 2 years than I did in the rest of my life.

Since then I've mellowed out a bit, probably because of the lock down. Life's just a ride man, I'm digging it as much as I possibly can. I just try to have a good time all the time, and that came from reading Miller's writings. It's much deeper than I make it sound, but that's the gist of it.

DDirtyDastard posted...

Yes. Henry Miller.

I read his book Tropic of Cancer and I proceeded to renounce my religion, quit my job, write a book and a bunch of music, travel the country, and bang more chicks in 2 years than I did in the rest of my life.

Since then I've mellowed out a bit, probably because of the lock down. Life's just a ride man, I'm digging it as much as I possibly can. I just try to have a good time all the time, and that came from reading Miller's writings. It's much deeper than I make it sound, but that's the gist of it.

Hmmm, I have not heard of him, but I will look him up and read his stuff, thanks for the recomendation.

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wolfy42 posted...

Hmmm, I have not heard of him, but I will look him up and read his stuff, thanks for the recomendation.

Just as a heads up, it's VERY GRAPHIC. There's whole 'lotta smut. People lose the beauty and vision of it all in the vulgarity. Don't put it down too early, it's one of the best books ever written. Poetic, profound, entertaining as hell.

Matt Dillahunty - youtube in general helped me start the escape from religion, but Matt and his show pretty much sealed the deal

Eric Lippert - just about anything he writes about programming is worth reading, and it turns out he had a hand in designing and implementing a lot of the languages I've used throughout my life (VBS, VBA, Office Interop, and C#)

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ParanoidObsessive posted...

Not really, no.

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A few people, but nothing majorly life changing. In high school I found a group of guys who would play Yu-Gi-Oh during breakfast or lunch (I didn't know anyone else who played at the time) and started hanging out with them. I was still pretty self conscious, and they probably didn't even realize they taught me a lot about being myself and not caring what other people think.

In a similar vein was a guy I met a few years later, who introduced me to a local all-ages anime/gaming club. He was actually a year younger than I was, but was married, had a baby, and spearheaded and ran the whole thing. He inspired me to be more proactive in my interests, and since then I've been going to and working/volunteering for various conventions and other events.

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Many people inspire my life.

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DirtBasedSoap posted...

you have to live in a movie to be inspired by someone? @Kyuubi4269

Kinda, yeah. People are people, they're ultimately flawed and different from you. Everybody is a victim of their circumstances and so following a person's footsteps is weird idealism.
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Me.

I am inspired by people who have hit rock bottom.

I had one physics professor in undergrad I idolized.

Then friends and people Ive met had some traits Id like to have.

Then some fictional characters are cool.

Nope. Some folk gave my advice that I'll always remember but that isn't inspiration.

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This post contains Dragonball Z Cell Saga spoilers. We've been warned.

So, when Goku is telling Gohan to use "the pain of loss" as a source of strength to protect others and to defeat evil had a huge impact on me. It really drove home the valid point that we are at our strongest when we aren't doing things just for ourselves.

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SunWuKung420 posted...

This post contains Dragonball Z Cell Saga spoilers. We've been warned.

So, when Goku is telling Gohan to use "the pain of loss" as a source of strength to protect others and to defeat evil had a huge impact on me. It really drove home the valid point that we are at our strongest when we aren't doing things just for ourselves.

Damn, I wish I had been inspired by an anime. I was inspired to wish for true VR from SAO (thought I had thought of it before, even back when I mudded).

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DDirtyDastard posted...

Yes. Henry Miller.

I read his book Tropic of Cancer and I proceeded to renounce my religion, quit my job, write a book and a bunch of music, travel the country, and bang more chicks in 2 years than I did in the rest of my life.

Since then I've mellowed out a bit, probably because of the lock down. Life's just a ride man, I'm digging it as much as I possibly can. I just try to have a good time all the time, and that came from reading Miller's writings. It's much deeper than I make it sound, but that's the gist of it.

Nice man. So i guess this lifestyle is still going on for you.