It might be hard to tell what it is or where it comes from, but there’s no denying that people love to be inspired. About 80% would say inspiration is more important to them than sleep or sex, according to PR Newswire. A worrying number, some 41%, would say they rate the feeling of being inspired better than time spent with their kids. People really love to be inspired.
The object of inspiration might vary from person to person. For some, it’s all about getting fit and healthy. For others, it’s about traveling or setting goals. RaShine “Pushman” Mitchell has a different approach. He sees inspiration as something he gives to others. Sharing his story is his preferred method, and he believes others should be using it, too.
The Power of Honesty
RaShine Mitchell’s social feeds might be all about glamour and exotic cars—he owns an exotic car rental company, after all—but he never shies away from letting people know that his wealth didn’t simply fall into his lap. “I tell people that I’m a young, successful man who has come from humble beginnings,” says RaShine Mitchell. “I talk about making ends meet, working odd jobs, and slowly repairing my credit to the point where I was able to leverage it to acquire cars.”
His story seems to be resonating with people. RaShine Mitchell grew up as a military kid, he had his dreams of being an athlete crushed by an injury, and he was working low-paying jobs and driving Uber before becoming successful—plenty of elements there for a lot of people to identify with.
RaShine Mitchell believes the main power of this kind of communication comes from the honesty it’s based on. “I’m very transparent with my content,” says RaShine Mitchell. “I show the good, the bad, and the ugly, and I think my following is strong because I’ve shared my real story.” He also notices that the fact that he was the real deal made it more likely for people to spread the word about him.
Finding Benefits in Inspiring Others
Sharing one’s story might inspire other people to search for success, but it could be beneficial for the storyteller, too. For starters, anyone looking to share their authentic story first needs to create an inventory of their personal history, deal with their illusions, and take ownership of the bad and the good from their past.
At that point, sharing can become a tool for turning things around—a tool of empowerment. For RaShine Mitchell, his openness has been good for personal branding and business. “I attract customers by telling my story on social media,” he says. “I inspire people by showing the lifestyle of a person who invests in themselves and stays disciplined.”
From RaShine Mitchell’s example, it looks like being candid about one’s past and being proof of how attainable success can be is rewarding on multiple fronts. “I like that sharing my story is helping others,” he says. “But I’m even happier when they start inspiring others with their stories. Together, we can create powerful positive momentum and change lives.”