have you ever done anything inspirational?

Icey101 · #1 12-29-2012, 04:02 PM

So a new year comes and i have a new opportunity coming up where my job role is about to be changed, it involves becoming more IT technical. In the past i have always steered away from this area, ie. its way to hard to become good at this and takes up alot of time in training, i'm getting old and can't learn new tricks. One of my ex bosses had a coffee with me a few weeks ago by chance, he said i would never be able to do the new role he said, to old to learn technology he said, was he baiting me?...

i'm just watching am inspirational show on telly about the early days of new york in the 1800's and about the brooklyn bridge when it was built with the pic of all the guys hanging off the high wires and what people did to create that structure

Have you ever done anything that is inspirational to others?

Edit: or have you ever achieved anything when they said you couldnt do it?

Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.
Orison Swett Marden

Thick McRunfast · #2 12-29-2012, 07:05 PM

How would I know? Not trying to be a smart aleck or anything.

I've never gone up to anybody that truly inspired me and told them

paradog · #3 12-29-2012, 07:23 PM

About 10 years ago I got a group of 25 high school students to research, record, and publish a book about the lives of men from their hometown that never returned from Vietnam. It wasn't perfect but, no one else was trying to document their lives.
As I look back now, I wish I had not lost the contacts I had made through the research. I put 9 months of hard work, trying to make something that existed in my mind, encouraging students that were not eager or in some cases up to the task. When it was done I was emotional, mentally, and physical exhausted! It was an honor to have done it.

Along the way I was able to give one person some insight to the father she never met. To her it was closure. To me...it was a duty that must be finished. Even now it is hard to believe it was finished.

Icey101 · #4 12-29-2012, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paradog

About 10 years ago I got a group of 25 high school students to research, record, and publish a book about the lives of men from their hometown that never returned from Vietnam. It wasn't perfect but, no one else was trying to document their lives.
As I look back now, I wish I had not lost the contacts I had made through the research. I put 9 months of hard work, trying to make something that existed in my mind, encouraging students that were not eager or in some cases up to the task. When it was done I was emotional, mentally, and physical exhausted! It was an honor to have done it.

Along the way I was able to give one person some insight to the father she never met. To her it was closure. To me...it was a duty that must be finished. Even now it is hard to believe it was finished.

good story

HaMMerHeD · #5 12-29-2012, 11:11 PM

I think of my life and my self not as being inspirational, but more like a warning.

I guess it's related...but not in a good way.

paradog · #6 12-30-2012, 07:09 AM

LOL@Hammerhed

tplyons · #7 12-30-2012, 09:16 AM

I've inspired several people at work to go back to school.

Since my company offers tuition reimbursement, most people consider it but figure they can't handle the workload on top of their already hectic lives.

When I tell them that I'm getting my MBA part time in two years, while working 60 hour weeks and traveling 75% of my weekends for trade shows and giving lectures, and scuba diving the weekends that I'm not traveling, they realize it can be done. So far three people have thanked me for inspiring them to go back.

hrodbert696 · #8 12-30-2012, 11:41 AM

Maybe I'm not a fair respondent, but I teach, and I've had students tell me that they were inspired by my teaching to go into new studies or fields. But teaching is partly inspirational kind of by definition.

Pilgrim · #9 12-30-2012, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icey101

So a new year comes and i have a new opportunity coming up where my job role is about to be changed, it involves becoming more IT technical. In the past i have always steered away from this area, ie. its way to hard to become good at this and takes up alot of time in training, i'm getting old and can't learn new tricks. One of my ex bosses had a coffee with me a few weeks ago by chance, he said i would never be able to do the new role he said, to old to learn technology he said, was he baiting me?...

He may have been, especially if he has faith in you. I would do the same for a couple of my co-workers.

I'm 62 and run a technology unit at a major research university. Every day I deal with computing, video and audio file captures and format transpositions, online storage, bandwidth issues and designing technology for use by faculty who haven't a clue about it.

I have no IT background at all. I'm a radio & TV guy with 30+ years of experience with electronic media, and all the other stuff has been learned via OJT and presentations at conferences. In the last two years a couple of people have told me that I've become one of the foremost experts on classroom design and lecture capture technology in my state. Huh. Go figure.

Take the challenge. Learn the stuff. You are just as able to learn at your age (almost certainly younger than I am) as you were when you were younger, and you have more life experience and context with which to interpret what you learn.

I can do it. You can do it. Just dive in and bust your butt learning what you need to learn, knowing that there will be more to learn ALL THE TIME.

The only jobs worth having are the ones which require constantly learning new stuff and making up new solutions to new problems every day. It gets boring otherwise.

Hopefully I have inspired the OP to take a big bite and go for it!

SoonerMatt · #10 12-30-2012, 01:46 PM

I once beat Mortal Kombat without using any special moves back in 94, that had to inspire someone, right?

**colcifer** · #11 12-30-2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

When I tell them that I'm getting my MBA part time in two years, while working 60 hour weeks and traveling 75% of my weekends for trade shows and giving lectures, and scuba diving the weekends that I'm not traveling, they realize it can be done. So far three people have thanked me for inspiring them to go back.

So... when DO you study?

paradog · #12 12-30-2012, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colcifer

So... when DO you study?

During guitar & drum solos!

jmattbassplaya · #13 12-30-2012, 02:29 PM

I inspired a 13/14 year old to switch from drums to bass after he watched me perform at a show with my band. I guess that counts? My brother also told me he was inspired to get back into shape and to go back to college because of me. That's about all I can think of, but I don't consider either of those cases being anything too inspiring or exceptional.

DaDrew2112 · #14 12-30-2012, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoonerMatt

I once beat Mortal Kombat without using any special moves back in 94, that had to inspire someone, right?

Inspired.

GeneralElectric · #15 12-30-2012, 04:41 PM

I don't consider myself inspirational, but other people have stuck me with the title. Case and point, was 2 years ago on this board when I was trying to get a guy a bass and ended up getting him reunited with his family.

Bloodhammer · #16 12-30-2012, 04:50 PM

I sure hope not.

Icey101 · #17 12-31-2012, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

He may have been, especially if he has faith in you. I would do the same for a couple of my co-workers.

I'm 62 and run a technology unit at a major research university. Every day I deal with computing, video and audio file captures and format transpositions, online storage, bandwidth issues and designing technology for use by faculty who haven't a clue about it.

I have no IT background at all. I'm a radio & TV guy with 30+ years of experience with electronic media, and all the other stuff has been learned via OJT and presentations at conferences. In the last two years a couple of people have told me that I've become one of the foremost experts on classroom design and lecture capture technology in my state. Huh. Go figure.

Take the challenge. Learn the stuff. You are just as able to learn at your age (almost certainly younger than I am) as you were when you were younger, and you have more life experience and context with which to interpret what you learn.

I can do it. You can do it. Just dive in and bust your butt learning what you need to learn, knowing that there will be more to learn ALL THE TIME.

The only jobs worth having are the ones which require constantly learning new stuff and making up new solutions to new problems every day. It gets boring otherwise.

Hopefully I have inspired the OP to take a big bite and go for it!

thanks, this is what i need

tplyons · #18 12-31-2012, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colcifer

So... when DO you study?

I study, I just don't sleep.

Yay for Red Bull...

ErebusBass · #19 12-31-2012, 08:55 AM

I climbed a mountain one time, it was pretty badass.

It inspired me to climb more mountains.

placedesjardins · #20 01-01-2013, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icey101

...Have you ever done anything that is inspirational to others?

No. I don't think so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icey101

...Edit: or have you ever achieved anything when they said you couldnt do it?

My wife said I probably wouldn't be able to remember to do a task, one day. I proved her wrong and remembered to do it. It was a Christmas miracle because I am easily distracted; I may have ADD or maybe I am just forgetful. I don't think that's the insprirational story you are looking for though.