You are an influencer.
Whether you realise it or not, you are affecting, influencing and inspiring people every day just by being you.
Colleagues, friends and acquaintances will watch you , listen to you and be moved by you.
I state this because I was reminded of it when – after a day of workshop sessions at the London 2012 Velodrome – I was told by one of the organisers of the event that a couple of the most challenging young people found my sessions on ‘ambition’ the best part of the day.
Within a couple of minutes of starting the workshop they’d made themselves known so I had to use some subtle (and not-so subtle) methods of getting them engaged and smiling. Talking about abstract concepts like ‘ambition’ ‘attitude’ and feelings is challenging for most of us, for teenagers it’s sometimes so tough that the front comes up and the guard is fixed…they make you work as an educator to support them.
It’s really gratifying to know that whatever I did and said to them had an impact, so please remember, you never know how you’re inspiring others so keep it up!
Bernie.
(NB: none of the students in the picture is featured in the story above)