Little bite, right? Say it fast and you will most likely stumble over words. I saw this phrase on a church marquis while he was driving and it piqued my interest to the point that I thought about what it might mean. Here are my thoughts.

To aspire simply means to have a longing or desire to do something and to strive to do it. An aspirational person is ambitious, optimistic, and enthusiastic. This is the type of person you would want as a team player in your business, as they would keep the spirits and momentum flowing.

Inspire, on the other hand, refers to the spirit of encouragement, as well as the ability to stimulate creative activity. It’s that internal spark needed to make things happen, basically to get off the couch and into action. An inspirational individual is uplifting, stimulating, exciting and motivating. This person can light the fire needed to start the action.

This is exactly what a coach does: they light a fire within their client to make changes. What is a coach? Simply a guide who determines a perspective outside of the “game” of life in which the client finds himself. As a player in the middle of the game, it’s hard to see all perspectives as that person focuses on his position and point of view. An outsider can often see the big picture and offer new thoughts as he encourages and spurs the individual to action.

As people go down their life path, they often find themselves in a place where they feel stuck. Perhaps you have been playing the “game” of your life for a while and are tired of the same playing field. Change is necessary, but they can’t see the big picture because they’re still on the field. Or maybe they just want to do something more rewarding and different. Maybe you have been in this place; maybe you are there right now.

Inspiring someone to make changes and “unstuck” so they can move in a new direction in their life is such a rewarding endeavor. Supporting a person who needs to know that someone cares can lift both of you to a place of inner fulfillment. As an integrity coach, helping people see their potential and understand that if they can imagine it, they can do it, is the most fulfilling aspect of my life. Seeing someone make positive changes in their life and seeing the smile spread across their face once they “get it” makes my heart soar.

But we can take inspiration one step further and refer to a deeper meaning. Inspiration can also refer to divine guidance. In this context it means to breathe or draw into the lungs as the breath of life. Inspiration here is the flow of a divine energy that easily enters one’s thoughts and heart without any foresight or contemplation. My books come this way and I’m sure most authors would attest to this kind of inspiration when writing their works. In fact, I routinely receive the influence of divine wisdom every day of my life and I cannot imagine life without this guidance. An inspired life like this takes the ego out of the equation for the most part.

I believe that allowing yourself to be inspired and then sharing your thoughts, words and actions with others to inspire them in some way is the ultimate satisfaction in this life. We each came here with a gift to share, and our responsibility is to discover it with inspired guidance, allowing inspiration to help you unfold, and then taking inspired action to do so. The inspired life is driven by the spirit, while a habitual lifestyle is driven by the ego.

Maybe you’ve been pushed to move in a new direction—change your vocation, write a book, take some training, open a new business—but you’re hesitating because you doubt you have the time, resources, or skills to do it. or you are simply afraid to move in this new direction. You are most likely receiving divine inspiration and if you follow that guidance you will get amazing results including peace and inner contentment. Perhaps you have felt led to help others in some way, to support, love, guide or encourage them on their journey.

There is no greater joy than knowing that you have inspired someone to act. Many leave this planet with their music still inside of them, and what a tragedy that is. Perhaps all they needed was someone to inspire and encourage them, to believe in them and help them see their potential. What a gift it would be for that person to receive it. And think how wonderful it would be if you were the giver of that gift!

So, summarizing the meaning of the phrase aspire to breathe in before expiring, it simply says having the desire to awaken and positively influence an individual to act to fulfill their most intimate desires before dying and leaving this planet. And it applies to you too: allow inspiration to flow through you so that you, too, experience an inspired life. As always, the choice is yours! Be the inspiration!