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Essay Samples on Someone Who Inspires Me

At its core, inspiration is a powerful force that ignites passion, propels dreams, and molds individuals into extraordinary beings. It is the vibrant pulse that surges through our veins, pushing us to achieve greatness even in the face of adversity. Crafting an essay about someone who inspires you allows you to shine a spotlight on the transformative power of such individuals.

How to Write an Essay on Someone Who Inspires Me

Here are some useful example you shpuld consider when writing a college essay about someone who inspires you:

• Consider beginning with a heartfelt introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the awe-inspiring journey to come.
• Share a personal anecdote or a defining moment that sparked the connection between you and your inspirational figure, allowing the reader to empathize with your experience.
• Delve into the qualities and actions that make this individual so inspiring. Explore their accomplishments, perseverance, and unwavering determination. Showcase how their words and deeds have impacted your life, shaping your values and aspirations. Be vivid and descriptive, illustrating the profound influence they have had on your personal growth and development.
• Weave in personal reflections throughout your essay. Share introspective thoughts and revelations, highlighting the lessons you have learned and the ways in which your perspective has evolved. By doing so, you invite the reader to embark on a transformative journey alongside you, creating a powerful emotional connection.

To aid you in your writing process, we provide a sample essay about someone who inspires you. It serves as a guiding light, illustrating the structure, tone, and depth needed to craft an outstanding piece. Drawing inspiration from this sample, embrace your unique voice, infuse your essay with passion, and let your words leave an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the readers.

A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

There are moments in life when we cross paths with someone who transforms our world in inexplicable ways. For me, that person is someone special who has walked alongside me, sharing laughter, tears, and countless memories. Our relationship is a testament to the beauty of...

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A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

Amidst the myriad of individuals who have crossed the path of my life, there is one who stands as a beacon of inspiration, illuminating the way with her unwavering determination, boundless compassion, and unyielding spirit. Her name is Emma, and her presence in my life...

A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

Throughout our lives, we encounter countless individuals who leave a lasting impact on us. Among them, there is always that one person who stands out — a person whose presence, actions, and words etch a permanent mark in our memories. In this essay, I will...

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My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

The identities of Americans are diversified. One’s identity is made up of a person's culture, heritage, personality, and how they strive to succeed. The identity of a person is created, through the hardships faced and their history, whether it is that one is born in...

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My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

Heroes can have a massive superb have an effect on on your life. My heroes are my mother and my dad. They are heroes to me each day and I have continually seemed up to them. I have always wanted to be just like my...

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Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

When I think of an individual who I look up to and aspire to emulate, the first person that comes to mind is Audrey Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn’s career in both entertainment and humanitarian work is a path I know I will follow because it is...

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Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

Oprah Winfrey was born in Mississippi on January 29,1954. Her parents were not married and broke up soon after she was born. Oprah Winfrey’s grandmother was strict and gave her plenty of discipline as she grew up on an isolated farm. Her grandmother taught her...

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St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

The qualities that St. Bernadette of Soubirous has that I admire are; being humble, being modest, being obedient, and loving. I admire these qualities because they make a person better. Saint Bernadette was modest and humble because, she didn’t brag about seeing Mother Mary, and...

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Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie-Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French writer, political activist, feminist thinker and existentialist philosopher. She had worked alongside other famous existentialist such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus and Maurice Merleau-Ponty and was able to produce wonderful works such as She Came to Stay, Pyrrhus and...

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Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

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Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

Joan of Arc was one of the most heroic women in French history. She has claimed to hear voices that told her to lead France in the Hundred Years War leading France to some victories. Although some believe that the Joan of Arc heard the...

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Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

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Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

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Life Lessons in the Diary of Anne Frank

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The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich: An Inspiration to All  

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Tara Curb, Her Acts of Kindness Association, and Her Unique Vision of Kindness

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Life And Art Of Andy Warhol

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Best topics on Someone Who Inspires Me

1. A Bond Beyond Words: Reflecting on My Relationship with Someone Special

2. A Beacon of Inspiration: A Descriptive Peace about the Person I Admire

3. A Person I Will Always Remember: My English Teacher

4. My Grandmother as My Role Model: Her Role in Shaping My Identity

5. My Role Model and My Heroes: Mother and Father

6. Audrey Hepburn: Life Of A Timeless Inspiration Of Mine

7. Oprah Winfrey and Ariana Grande: Women That Inspire Me

8. St. Bernadette: The Woman That Inspires Me

9. Simone De Beauvoir One of the Greatest Woman

10. Ned Kelly: American Hero Or Villain

11. Joan of Arc One of the Most Heroic Women in French History

12. Who Inspired Me to Become a Nurse

13. Mary Kom, The Person Who Inspired Me to Pursue My Dreams

14. The People Who Shaped Me

15. Three People Who Influenced Me Throughout My Life

• Career Goals
• Personal Experience
• Perseverance
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Someone Who Inspires Me — Person Who Has Influenced Me

Person Who Has Influenced Me

• Categories: Influential Person Someone Who Inspires Me

About this sample

Words: 475 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 475 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Body paragraph 1, body paragraph 2, body paragraph 3.

• Miller, S. (2018). The Importance of Having Role Models and Mentors. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/shelleyzalis/2018/10/24/the-importance-of-having-role-models-and-mentors/?sh=57cc70251c67
• Koutsofta, E., & Flouri, E. (2016). How the Importance of Different Roles in Early Adolescence Predicts Later Life Satisfaction , Worthwhileness, and Depression. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 36(3), 281–304. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272431614556353

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Essay on Person Who Inspires Me

Students are often asked to write an essay on Person Who Inspires Me in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Person Who Inspires Me

My inspiration.

Everyone has someone who inspires them. For me, it’s my grandmother. She’s a strong woman who always smiles, no matter what life throws at her. Her kindness spreads like sunshine.

Her Hard Work

My grandmother grew up poor but worked hard to give her family a better life. She never went to college, yet she’s the wisest person I know. She teaches me that hard work can help you achieve your dreams.

Her Kindness

She cares for everyone and has a big heart. Even when she’s tired, she still helps others. Her kindness shows me how to be a better person.

Her Strength

She faced many challenges but never gave up. Her strength during tough times is amazing. She inspires me to be strong and never lose hope.

250 Words Essay on Person Who Inspires Me

In life, we often find someone who lights up our world and pushes us to do better. For me, that person is my elder sister, Lily. She is not only my sibling but also my role model. Her strength and kindness shine bright, guiding me through my own journey.

Lily works very hard at everything she does. Whether it’s her job or helping at home, she always gives her best. She taught me that working hard is key to success. When I see her overcome tough tasks with a smile, it encourages me to face my own challenges without fear.

My sister is also very kind. She spends time helping others and is always there for me when I need advice or support. Lily’s kindness reminds me to be caring towards people around me. Watching her, I’ve learned that being nice to others makes the world a better place.

Her Love for Learning

Lily loves to learn new things. She reads a lot and shares her knowledge with me. This love for learning is something she has passed on to me. I now enjoy exploring new topics and ideas, just like she does.

Lily inspires me to be a better person. Her hard work, kindness, and love for learning are qualities I admire and try to embody. She shows me that with determination and a warm heart, I can achieve my dreams and help others along the way. Lily is not just my sister; she is my hero.

500 Words Essay on Person Who Inspires Me

Introduction.

Everyone has someone they look up to, someone who sparks a light in their hearts. For me, that person is my grandmother. She is not famous or a superhero, but she is my inspiration. In this essay, I will share why she is so special to me.

Her Kind Heart

My grandmother is the kindest person I know. She always has a warm smile for everyone. When I was little, she would make my favorite cookies and tell me stories. She taught me to be kind to others, even if they are not kind back. She feeds stray cats and helps our neighbors. Her heart is big, and she shows me how to care for others.

Grandma grew up in a time when things were tough. She worked hard to take care of her family. Even now, she wakes up early to tend to her garden. She says that hard work is good for the soul. I admire how she never gives up, no matter how hard the task is. She is like a strong tree that stands tall, no matter how strong the wind blows.

I love listening to my grandmother’s stories and advice. She has lived a long time and seen many things. When I have a problem, she always has wise words to help me. She says, “Life is like a road with bumps and turns. Keep going, and you’ll reach your destination.” Her wisdom is like a map that guides me through life’s journey.

Even though she is older, my grandmother loves to learn new things. She reads books, watches documentaries, and even tries to use a smartphone. She says that learning never stops, no matter how old you are. She inspires me to be curious and to never stop asking questions.

Her Joy in Simple Things

My grandmother finds happiness in simple things. A sunny day, a blooming flower, or a family meal makes her smile. She doesn’t need fancy gadgets or expensive trips to be happy. She teaches me to appreciate what I have and to find joy in everyday life.

In conclusion, my grandmother is my inspiration. She shows me how to be kind, work hard, be wise, keep learning, and enjoy the simple things in life. She may not be a famous person, but to me, she is the most important and inspiring person in the world. I hope to carry her lessons with me always and to make her proud by living a life full of kindness, hard work, wisdom, curiosity, and joy.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Write an Essay on Someone Who Inspires You: Parent or Famous

Essay about Someone Inspiring

Everyone has or has had someone in their life who has encouraged them to change or keep moving forward in life. Someone to encourage them to keep fighting in life, push them to their limits, and assist them in realizing their goals.

To write an outstanding essay about someone who inspires you, start by choosing who to write about and why.

The next step is to write your outline. The outline draws attention to all the points you want to make in your paper. Make a list of the person’s name and a few bullet points on what inspires you about them.

 You can use examples to help you remember what you have learned.

People Also Read: Write an Essay about Family: From Introduction to Conclusion

Why is Someone Who Inspires You a Good Topic for an Essay?

This type of essay could be enjoyable for you to write. Instead of being forced to write on a subject you loathe, you write about your favorite character. There should be no difficulty in focusing on the task at hand in terms of motivation .

Because the scope of work requires you to choose the individual yourself, you are in the unusual position of not having your teacher dictate to you.

This kind of essay offers you a great chance to show off your talents. However, with that chance comes the added strain of students feeling obligated to sing the praises of the person who has had the most influence on them. It is great to have someone to look up to as a role model.

However, before diving right in and writing about them, you should assess whether you have enough information about them to make the essay viable. There are various alternatives available to assist write your research arguments :

• You have access to material on the internet
• You are familiar with the individual
• Textbooks are readily available

Seek out a distinct perspective. If you are writing about someone famous, you are probably not the first person to think of writing about them. Avoid using essays that are too identical to previous submissions. Try to cover it from a fresh angle, such as their personal lives or the reasons for their actions.

Take care not to sound like a sycophant. It is easy to appear as sycophantic when writing about someone you respect. You can still appreciate someone while acknowledging their weaknesses.

Everyone is a human being. Your instructor is likely to receive many hero-worship essays.

So, make sure you portray your subject as the actual person, not the one who their followers see all the time. What motivates you about them? You may ignore this one, but whatever you do, remember to incorporate the reasons behind your inspiration.

It is easy to construct a bio about someone without mentioning their original scope of work.

People Also Read: Technical Plagiarism: definition, examples and How to Avoid

How to Write an Essay about Someone Who Inspires You

1. explain the person.

When you say someone or something is inspiring, you imply that they motivate you or others to do or accomplish something. Your aim in this paragraph is to introduce this person to the reader.

Offer some key information about their life, and describe why you chose them and why you find them inspiring.

2. Craft your Thesis about the Person

Each paper should begin with a 3-5 sentence introduction. A thesis sentence should be one of those sentences. The thesis statement informs the reader of the paper’s major point. When writing about someone who inspires you, the same thing may happen.

You do not have to write the introduction first, even though it is the first part of your paper. It can be easier to compose your introduction paragraph after you have finished the rest of the paper. Your thesis sentence, on the other hand, should be written first.

This will help you stay focused throughout the essay on developing your thesis sentence.

The introduction determines the quality of your work and the accuracy of your findings and conclusions. Make sure you start with a compact, engaging, and flowing introduction. It makes your readers appreciate your analytical skills, writing style, and research technique.

A hazy, disorganized, or poorly written introduction will give a negative first impression. The introduction ends with a brief paragraph describing how the paper is structured.

3. Write your Arguments about him/her

Expand the major points into individual paragraphs to build the body of your essay. A topic sentence supports the thesis in each paragraph of the five-paragraph body. The rest of the paragraph backs up and develops on that topic sentence. The rest of your essay supports and develops your thesis statement.

 Whether your essay is a short essay or a long one , you can still use this basic format. The difference is that you will have more than one paragraph in the body of your essay to support your claims, or you may have more than three points to make that support your thesis.

4. Recognize his Achievements

Acknowledge the accomplishments of the person who inspires you. For instance, say Albert Einstein inspires you. You can point out that some of the technology we take for granted today was made possible by his theories and vision. It includes lasers, GPS, atomic clocks, and much more.

 Like so many others, he suffered with and had to overcome self-doubt. The fact that he, too, struggled with self-doubt motivates me to persevere and believe in myself.

5. Cite and reference

Use citations or references to credible sources to support your essay.

What Do You Think About Someone Who Inspires You

 I admire everyone who strives to live in harmony with themselves, others, and the environment.

What is the other people’s take?

We all have role models or individuals we admire, people who inspire us, and people we want to be like in our lives. It includes our parents, friends, entrepreneurs, scientists, activists, singers, artists, etc.

People who have left a lasting impression on the planet.

People Also Read: How to Find Answers to Homework Worksheets Online

9 Examples of People Who Inspire You

• Abraham Lincoln
• Mahatma Gandhi
• Albert Einstein
• Mother Teresa
• Michael Jordan
• Barrack Obama
• Nelson Mandela
• Winston Churchill

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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Answers to “Who Inspires You?” (5 Examples)

By Biron Clark

Published: November 15, 2023

In a job interview, employers don’t just want to know you can do the job; they want to know about your life and interests.

So they ask interview questions like, “Who inspires you in your life?” or “Who is your greatest inspiration?”

And if you struggle to answer or give a response they don’t like, it could cost you the job.

Keep reading for tips on how to answer, “Who inspires you?” with example responses, mistakes to avoid, and more.

How to Answer the “Who Inspires You?” Interview Question

First of all, this is an incredibly open-ended interview question.

And while there are no wrong responses… some answers are better than others.

You could answer that your mother or father is your greatest inspiration. And that would be an okay answer.

But I recommend you look beyond a personal or family connection when answering, and consider the specific job you’re interviewing for.

Because the next question you’ll be asked, assuming you don’t expand on it in the first place, is “why?”

What did your mother, father, college teacher , or other personal connection do that was so inspiring? Was it their work ethic? Leadership skills?

Again, any of those answers are correct, but your answer will stand out and resonate more with the interviewer if you go into detail and ideally, tailor your answer to the traits required in the position you’re discussing.

Here’s a good example of how to answer this interview question by matching your inspiration to the job.

Imagine you’re looking for a career with a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide aid to the homeless, the sick, and the poor.

Claiming Mother Teresa as your greatest inspiration would be a sensible answer to the question.

She devoted most of her life to charitable work, helping the homeless, sick, and poor.

Or, if you were interviewing for a leadership position, you could use someone past or present who showed exemplary leadership as your inspiration.

Just be sure to pick someone you really admire because there’s a good chance your body language will give you away if you’re lying.

And yes, don’t be surprised if the recruiter or manager has some skill at reading body language.

The point is, your answer not only provides some insight into the person you aspire to be, but also highlights the type of behavioral patterns and attitudes you admire and respect.

And that will translate into the type of person you would be on the job.

Here’s another example of thinking about the job when answering “Who inspired you in your life?”

Imagine you’re interviewing for an accounting position. The soft skills you’ll need are:

• Problem-solving
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral
• Critical thinking
• Time management

You could use some famous accountants as your answer, perhaps someone like William Deloitte or William Cooper, the founders of Deloitte & Touche and Price Waterhouse Coopers respectively.

Or you could think outside the box and use as your inspiration someone who was or is well known for their critical thinking or problem-solving skills.

Of course, if you go this route, you need to clearly communicate your reasoning to your interviewer.

If you were to throw out Albert Einstein as your inspiration, that might not make sense to the person or people interviewing you because he’s a well-known physicist. But dig a little deeper and he’s also famous for being a problem solver and critical thinker, so you could talk about how he inspired you in those areas.

Throw an answer like that out and trust me, you’ll gain some serious credibility points.

As you can see, there’s no one “right” answer to this interview question. The key is to be able to explain why you choose the person and connect the dots between their story and your career and life goals.

Who Inspires You? Example Answers

Next, we’ll look at word-for-word who inspires you examples using people, past or present, who led a life that meshes with your career path and interests.

Example #1 for Who Inspires You: Mother Teresa

Someone who inspired me in my personal life and work is Mother Teresa. She dedicated her life to helping those less fortunate, and I’d like to achieve a similar story when I look back on my life. Also, I believe that her desire to help others made her a great leader, even though few would think of her that way. One of my favorite quotes by her is, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

This sample answer would be excellent if interviewing for a position at a charitable organization or other socially conscious organization.

It’s also a good answer for any role utilizing soft skills like leadership, empathy, emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills, and more.

No matter what your religious beliefs are (and I would recommend you don’t address them in the job interview), using this example answer with the reasons above would work in your favor and help you land any leadership role in an organization that values helping others.

Example #2 for Who Inspires You: Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein has inspired me in my career. His theories and vision enabled some of the technology we take for granted today, like GPS, lasers, atomic clocks, and much more. He also struggled with and had to overcome self-doubt, like so many people do. The fact that even he faced self-doubt is inspiring and reminds me to be persistent and believe in myself.

Albert Einstein would be a great choice for the “Who inspires you” interview question for anyone seeking a position in a company that requires creativity. For example:

• Any kind of artist
• Authors/writers
• College art, drama, or music teachers
• Editors, print or video
• Fashion designer
• Industrial designer
• Landscape architects

Example #3 for Who Inspires You: Michael Jordan

I’ve been inspired by Michael Jordan. He was talented, but more importantly, he was willing to outwork the competition and focus intensely on his goals. He was relentless and never stopped pushing himself to improve. One excellent piece of advice he shared was to never forget the fundamentals. “The minute you get away from fundamentals, whether it’s proper technique, work ethic, or mental preparation, the bottom can fall out of your game, your schoolwork, your job, whatever you’re doing.”

This is an interview answer that you could use for virtually any type of job.

In the corporate world, there are fundamentals critical to your success. Each job position will have its own fundamentals, but Jordan’s advice is that whatever they are, keep at them.

He also didn’t let failure stop him, which you can also say was inspiring to you. Ironically, when he was in high school, he was disqualified from the varsity basketball team because he wasn’t tall enough or good enough.

What did he do? Well, he eventually grew but more importantly, he practiced until he was good enough.

All of the factors above make Michael Jordan an excellent choice for someone you find inspiring.

Note that you could also choose a more recent athlete such as Kobe Bryant if you prefer (who happened to have a similar mindset, competitiveness, and mental toughness to Michael Jordan).

Example #4 for Who Inspires You: William Deloitte

Since becoming an accountant , I’ve been inspired by William Deloitte, one of the fathers of accounting. I’m inspired by his innovation, leadership, and interpersonal skills. These traits allowed him to make powerful connections and accomplish a tremendous amount in his career. He was ambitious and aimed high, too, which are values that are important to me. He started his career at 15 and opened his own practice at 25. He went on to found one of the largest accounting firms in the world, so his story is a reminder to stay ambitious and motivated in life.

This is a good answer to “Who inspires you?” if interviewing for any position in accounting or bookkeeping.

Remember, it’s always a good idea to consider the job you’re discussing when you answer this interview question.

Example #5 for Who Inspires You: Your Father

My father is someone who inspired me throughout life and is the reason I got into the marketing industry. When he was 19, he started a small local marketing firm and grew it to the point of having 200 clients throughout the state. He recognized that building strong relationships is just as important as being competent in your work, and he became excellent at both through consistent effort. He was also an inspiration because nobody told him to go down the marketing route, and he didn’t study marketing in school. Instead, he read local newspapers, saw opportunities to help businesses market themselves better in the local community, and went door-to-door to get his first clients.

As you can see, it’s okay to say a personal connection or family member inspired you.

But if choosing friends, parents, or other relatives/personal connections, you need to be ready to show something exceptional they did and exactly how that was an inspiration in your life and career. Otherwise, choose someone else as your inspirational figure.

Now you have 5 examples to the question, “Who inspires you?”

I’ve mentioned a few times that there are no wrong answers to this interview question. But there are some mistakes you should avoid when giving your interview answer…

Mistakes to Avoid When Answering “Who Inspires You?”

The #1 mistake to avoid when saying who inspires you in an interview:

If there’s anything we’ve learned in the last several years, it’s that there are some topics and people who are completely polarizing. Many people are one hundred percent for or against something or someone.

Why does that matter?

Because you have no idea where the person who’s interviewing you stands on the subject. And if you voice a strong like or dislike contrary to theirs, that could count against you.

So it’s best to stay away from anyone or anything highly controversial or polarizing, such as most political figures or issues.

Further mistakes to avoid:

• If you do choose a famous person, make sure they really are someone you admire and respect. Otherwise you won’t sound convincing.
• Don’t give an answer that’s more than 60-90 seconds. Be selective in sharing why someone has inspired you and just choose a few key points to share. You don’t need to share every detail you’ve read and researched about this person, and if the interviewer wants to hear more, they’ll ask.
• Don’t ever answer without having a reason ready. If you choose your mother, father, a friend, or anyone related to you, be sure to have an appropriate reason.

8 Types of People You Can Say Inspired You

To help you gather more ideas for potential answers to “Who inspired you in your life?” here are some general types of people you can mention as your inspiration.

• Historical figures
• Mentors/coaches
• Noteworthy people in your community
• Parents, family, and friends

If you follow the steps and sample answers above, you’ll be ready to answer “Who inspires you?” in your next interview.

If you can’t think of someone to name and the examples above don’t work for you, don’t panic.

Google is your friend for coming up with more answers and people you find inspiring.

If you’re not sure what soft skills and traits are most important for the position your interview is for, you can do a search on something like “soft skills needed for…” and just fill in either the field or role you’re hoping to get hired for.

Also, look at the job description before your interview. Notice which skills and traits are mentioned first and/or most often.

Then, you can try searching for someone motivational that matches the soft skills required for the job. Try something like a search for “examples of people with a good work ethic.”

This preparation will help you wow the interviewer so you can land the job.

Related interview questions:

• What do you like to do for fun?
• How would you describe yourself?
• Tell me about a time you failed?

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

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How to Write a College Essay About an Influential Person

• November 2, 2022

When brainstorming topics for your college essay, you’ve probably considered writing about a person who has influenced or inspired you–a parent or grandparent, a sibling, a teacher, or another significant figure in your life. You may be writing an essay of your own design or responding to the fourth prompt on this year’s Common Application: Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Writing about someone else in a college essay can be tricky—after all, your ultimate goal is still to tell admissions officers enough about you to help them decide whether to offer you admission. But there’s a way to do that even while writing a specific, insightful essay centered on another person. In this post, we’ll walk you through the process of choosing someone to write about, brainstorming, and pulling your ideas together into a finished essay.

Choosing a person to write about

One of our favorite college essays about someone other than the writer is Zoya Garg’s essay about her mother, which was published in the New York Times . Garg writes about her mother’s dreams of a career as a stand-up comedian and how a gift from Garg helped set her on the path to achieving those dreams:

“My mom finds a baffling delight from drinking from glass, hotel-grade water dispensers. Even when three-day-old lemon rinds float in stale water, drinking from the dispenser remains luxurious. Last year for her birthday, I saved enough to buy a water dispenser for our kitchen counter. However, instead of water, I filled it with handwritten notes encouraging her to chase her dreams of a career.”

One of the things that works well about Garg’s essay is how precisely Garg pinpoints the ways her mom has inspired her—Garg mentions her mother’s curiosity, her sense of humor, and her ability to “light up conversations” with and “reach the hearts of” everyone she encounters. If you’re going to write an essay about someone else, choose someone about whom you can identify these kinds of details, rather than someone who has inspired you from afar.

Inspiration doesn’t always have to be positive—perhaps you were inspired by not wanting to be like a particular person in your life. But if you choose to write about someone who inspired you in a more indirect or negative way, be mindful of the tone you’re striking in your essay and the impression it might leave on an admissions officer. Remember that your essay is an opportunity to show the kind of community member you would be if admitted to the school.

Brainstorming your essay

A successful essay about someone who has inspired you will have two key ingredients: examples and reflection. (To learn more on the importance of reflection in the college essay, check out our Complete Your College Essay Online Course .) But unlike a recipe, you don’t have to add these ingredients in any particular order—you can begin by brainstorming either one and still find your way to a powerful finished essay.

If you’d like to start with examples, spend some time thinking about moments when this person inspired or influenced you. Try to pinpoint them as precisely as possible: Did you have a conversation with your father or a driving lesson with your mother that particularly taught you something? Did time spent with an older sibling while on a family vacation show you something about the person you hope to become?

Once you have your list of moments, try writing a sentence or two about what you learned in each instance. For example: Driving with my mother, who always wanted to take the scenic route, reminded me of the importance of patience, something I have long struggled with. 

If you already know what you’ve learned from the person you’re focusing on, you can just as easily do this brainstorm in reverse. Try first writing out the “lessons” you’ve learned. Then, under each one, list as many examples as you can think of that illustrate how this person taught you what you’ve learned from them—the driving lesson, the meaningful conversation, the morning spent surfing, and more. The most evocative examples and moments on the list will be excellent material for your essay.

Beginning to write

You’ve probably spent a lot of time with the most important people in your life. (If you haven’t, that might be an essay in itself!) That can make those people even harder to describe, because we know so much more about them than can fit into a single essay.

As you begin to write, return to some of the questions you asked during the brainstorming process:

• What one illustrative story can you tell about this person?
• What one or two key things have you learned from them, or what one or two things have they inspired you to do?
• Was there a specific experience one of you went through during which they inspired you?

Think back to Zoya Garg’s anecdote of a birthday gift, which tells a much larger story about her relationship with her mother and about Garg’s own ability to understand and support those around her.

Sometimes the easiest way to build this kind of essay is to work backwards. Consider this person’s traits – what does the reader need to know most about the person, and what have you learned from them? Perhaps it’s your mother’s fondness for taking the scenic route, or your sister’s willingness to try new things. Then make a list of experiences, traits, or adjectives that best capture those elements: Is it the way they laugh, how they take charge in difficult situations, how they walk into a room? In Garg’s essay, one telling detail is her mother’s “baffling delight” in drinking out of fancy glass water dispensers, which kicks off the entire story. Those are the perfect kinds of characteristics and small moments to include in your essay.

And remember—it isn’t enough just to describe this inspirational person. You’ll also need to describe how their influence shows up in your life, in big or small ways.

Revising your essay

Once you’ve drafted your essay, and perhaps taken some time away from the draft, look at your essay with fresh eyes . This is a great opportunity to check that your essay is specific and precise in the way you describe the person who inspired you, so that the admissions officers reading your essay will come away feeling like they know that person. Keep in mind that even if you’re writing about an experience of anti-inspiration, or someone who inspired you not to be like them, it’s worth trying to strike a positive tone in your essay.

And finally, remember that your ultimate goal is to give the admissions committee insight into who they might be inviting into their campus community. You want them to feel as though they’ve gotten to know you —no matter who else you introduce them to along the way.

Complete your College Essay

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Students will walk away with a complete, authentic Personal Statement that they can be proud to submit to the colleges of their dreams.

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