Something that seems to come from afar, where we allow ourselves to be moved by a force that is more powerful than our ego and all it's illusions, is inspiration. Dr. Wayne Dyer likes to think of inspiration as being in-spirit. I tend to agree. I know when I am in-spirit, I feel wonderful, but even more than that, I experience joy. I'm able to receive the vibrational messages of my Source. Call these things voices, silent reminders, random suggestions or what ever you want, but they're vibrations of energy that I am able to align with as I surrender and get myself out of the way.
To reach your true potential then is to feel called to something higher, something bigger than ourselves. This often involves doing things for others, unlike motivation that mostly involves doing things for ourselves. When I perform an act of kindness or do something to help others, I feel my ultimate calling being fulfilled by my actions. Being in-spirit is a direction we take, rather than a destination to be reached. Living our lives in-spirit requires us to determine that direction, not blindly follow others to perceived glories. We do so by noticing our thoughts and behaviours. To become inspired on a daily basis, we must be able to quickly identify any thoughts that are moving us away from our Source. We suspend our ego identification and warm to the idea of trusting the energy that created us.
When we listen and allow it to (inspiration), spirit guides us; when we fail to listen - or allow our ego to get in the way and run the show (motivation), we're going to be uninspired. It's really that simple.
As always, take what resonates and leave the rest. Please feel free to comment on this topic, I'd love to hear your opinion on whether you feel motivated or inspired.
P.S. Remember, You're the one!