Does Inspiration Change Things?

I have a question.

Since we left Taos about a week ago we’ve received at least 100 comments, messages, and texts telling us our efforts are inspiring. I really appreciate that encouragement, and I love the word “inspire.”

Inspire means to breathe in life. It’s the opposite of “expire.”

As a teacher I sought to inspire, rather than motivate, students. External motivation is about power and control. It can involve things like fear, pain, guilt, punishment, and approval. I wanted no part of those. I still don’t.

I’ve never wanted to be a “motivational speaker.” Frankly, I think their main goal is to motivate you to buy books.

I want to inspire, to help others expand their spiritual lungs and take in a bigger volume of life. When you tell us our message is inspiring, I feel like God’s using RICH’S RIDE in important ways.

But here’s my question: Inspired to do…what?

Inspiration, if it’s effective, must do something more than get people excited and make them feel good. Inspiring my students, to me, meant inviting them discover their own internal motivation to learn. It meant demonstrating that hard work and love can take us beyond our self-imposed limitations and allow us to tap our potential. It’s why people want Sports Speakers 360 and the like to give them that extra push.

Inspiration says, “Here’s where I’m going. Want to come along?”

I hope RICH’S RIDE is more than an interesting feel-good story. I hope you’re inspired, that this crazy journey helps you breathe in a little more life…and do something with it. I hope you’re inspired to love a little more, serve a little more, give and help and forgive a little more.

That’s where I’m trying to go, in spite of the flaws and mistakes that are inevitable parts of the journey. We do what we can, where we are, with what we have, and trust God to use our efforts.

But this isn’t about me and where I’m going, because RICH’S RIDE isn’t about Rich and it isn’t about a ride.

This is about you. Are you inspired by this crazy journey?

Inspired to do…what?

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The weather reports were accurate. Thursday morning was rainy, chilly, and windy. Warmed a little later but west winds at 25 mph made the rest day a great decision. Today’s supposed to be much nicer.

We used part of the day to be cheesy tourists in Winslow, Arizona. These pictures should be self-explanatory. If they’re not, I’m sad for your cultural deprivation.

If you wish, click here and pay special attention to the second verse.

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We discovered that there’s no acceptable cycle route from Winslow to Flagstaff without using I-40. As I said yesterday, I’m not on a suicide mission, so we taking an alternate southern route. That’s probably okay, since it snowed in Flagstaff Wednesday night and Thursday and we didn’t pack snow tires for the bikes.

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