Inspired Counterfeit: Punctilious

Inspired is a character that explores origins, present realities, and potential futures. Maslow used the phrase “freshness of appreciation” to describe this character. He explained that this character possessed the ability to see things (even small things) with a sense of wonder. I add that this sense of wonder motivates action and offsets fear.

The counterfeit of inspired is punctilious. As a punctilious character, you attend to the form requirements of behavior without an intrinsic connection to people. Your individual relationships are often awkward to onlookers with inappropriate intimacy for the relationship at hand. In the group, you often trade in humor and feigned concern in an attempt to show yourself to be caring as opposed to cold and singularly focused on the set agenda.

You want people to see you as interested in them and engaged. On closer inspection, you are just going through the motions of polite interaction. You interest does not extend beyond the formalities of human contact. Your focus is the agenda you adopted in order to maintain your safety in the presence of multiple points of view. You cannot take the time to consider the value of the other’s contribution. Exploring beyond your agenda is to risk too much.

To be truly inspired is to recognize the value of diverse contributions and the opportunity represented by collaboration. Inspiration is not only the reality that you are not alone. It is the realization that the process of human interaction yields exponential returns. The commonalities and differences found between us lessen the load and create opportunities that were impossible for you to conceive of by yourself. The more people we invite to the table, the more possibilities avail themselves…if you engage.