The fall colors are taking over the New England region. There is beautiful fall foliage all around. So naturally, I thought it was a great day for reflection.
What came to mind is who the people are I admire the most, and what I can learn from them and apply to my life and my two blogs: The Art of Travel and The Naked Soul.
“I integrate timeless wisdom and exponential technology to expand healthy human potential and tell stories that spark courage and curiosity.”
People I Admire
I will highlight a few of the wonderful humans the Mother Earth has given to all of humanity. They come from diverse backgrounds and pursue a range of endeavors. However, one thing that is common among them is that they excel in whatever they do.
Note: This list is neither complete nor a ranking. It’s just a small list that I’ve made for myself, for aspirational purposes. I will continue to add to this list.
Spiritual Masters, Philosophers, & Psychologists
- Jesus
- Buddha
- Lao Tzu
- Carl Jung
- Eckhart Tolle
- Thomas Kempes
- Meister Eckhart
- St. Francis of Azizi
- St. Augustine
- Padre Pio
- Apostle Paul
- Osho
- Gurdjieff
- Swami Kriyananda
- Watchman Nee
- Witness Lee
- Plato
Poets
- Rumi
- Hafiz
- Rabindranath Tagore
Martial Artists
- Bruce Lee
- Jet Li
- Jackie Chan
- Tony Jaa
Writers & Thinkers
- Leo Tolstoy
- Fyodor Doestovesky
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Paulo Coelho
- Robert Green
- Tony Robbins
- Napoleon Hill
- James Allen
- Stephen King
- Rupert Sheldrake
Travelers & Adventurers
- Marco Polo
Filmmakers & Worldbuilders
- Jeffery Mishlove – Thinking Allowed (Host)
- Stephen Speilberg
- Darren Afronosky
- Christopher Nolan
- Guilmore Toro
Scientists, Inventors, & Entrepreneurs
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Nikola Tesla
- Elon Musk
- Tim Ferriss
- Josh Watzkin
- Nasim Taleb
- Naval
- Rich Divos
- Stephen Hawkins
- Peter Diamandis
- Benjamin Franklin
Aspire to Inspire
One of the reasons I am compiling this list (and I encourage you to do the same) is that it will enable me to create an actionable list of “small steps” tasks that I can take to differentiate myself from the crowd.
If you are truly inspired by someone, I believe that, in the long run, much of the work you do will eventually overlap with that of those on this list. After all, isn’t one of your key goals to work upon and expand their worldview?
What can we learn from them? What can we do that they did? Or started but could not finish?
Big-picture Insights (for me)
What Can You Do Next
Study all of the people you admire. Do some research on them. Read their biographies. Study their social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube) and observe how they use them (or do not use them).
I am particularly interested in identifying opportunities where we can do something that they did or are doing.
What “One Thing” should we pick from each one of them: a book title, a video idea, a speaking topic, anything…. think about it!
