I couldn't name one single person who inspires me greatly, but I have various friends who inspire me in some way.

Some of them have a 'get what you want' attitude that I value and try to emulate. Some have a certain skill so I enjoy observing and learning from them. And some stand up for something they believe in, and even if it's not something I feel as passionate about I admire their commitment.

Recently I have drawn inspiration from two sources. The first is Reddit, the news/link sharing website. Almost every day someone there asks for help and is supported by the community. A single father asks how to comb his daughter's hair and someone makes a video tutorial. The teacher of an autistic child asks for a replacement toy and is sent 25. Or an old barber in London is helped when his shop is destroyed during the recent riots, with Redditors gathering at his shop to clean up and donating money to rebuild. It shows me that true human nature is to support other people. 

My second source of Inspiration comes from some of the speakers TED.com. The one that immediately comes to mind is Ken Robinson, about creativity in education. See the video below. 

Yes, passion is contageous and inspiring if I can share the values of the person. Make me feel alive.

Gaius Baltar.

The pope

I find a lot of people I meet special and inspiring in some way. There are a lot of anonymous heroes... one of them being my Italian grandmother, la Nonna.

Mahatma Ghandi he lived his life in congruence with all that he said if he could not be it he would not say nor do it.  He challenged violence with peace and paid a high personal price for his convictions and many selfless acts.  His Book "The  storey of my experiments with truth" is a facinating rendition of all that he did at a personal level in shifting himself so that he could walk the talk before he talked, whereas many often the the reverse and very likely never do the work through lack of courage persistence, vision and so forth.   Here is a link of interest: http://www.mkgandhi-sarvodaya.org/autointro.htm

Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography Sathiya Sodhani is one book which guides you as to what is right and wrong. Most importantly, the author should have experienced all these. The original was in Gujarati, and was later translated into English and other Indian languages. The book is in five parts, beginning with his birth, up until the year 1921. In the last chapter he writes, "My life from this point onward has been so public that there is hardly anything about it that people do not know...."

The introduction reads, "What I want to achieve - what I have been striving and pining to achieve these thirty years- is self- realization, to see God face to face, to attain Moksha. I live and move and have my being in pursuit of this goal."

Kathrine Switzer 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17632029

Nancy Wake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Wake

Roselind Franklin

http://www.sdsc.edu/ScienceWomen/franklin.html

People who have a vision and go for it inspire me. For example Helen (aka SWISS) who founded Geneva runners. Her enthousiasm and energy helped me through a unpleasant period last year.

Or Nir who cofounded glocals and buyclub and changed dull Geneva.

Am always inspired when I see great skiers, runners...

And last but not least people who positively change the life of others: Henry Dunant ... or as Izzie said: la Nonna and a lot of anonymous heroes

If you can inspire "one" person, then you have done a good thing, If you can inspire many people, then you are indeed a great person.

I'm inspired by people who challenge the status quo for the greater good of others.

Also by people who can lift themselves out of the deep dark depths of misery and have the strength to enlighten others with confidence.

Thanks Charlie, exactly:

No need to settle for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. Amen

Here's a video that I saw today. I guess calling this guy inspiring would very ironic...thanks Lia K for sharing!

Inspiration is for amateurs...the rest of us just show up & get to work.

...there's always someone worse-off than you...

- Chuck Close

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7404806n

for inspirational videos... this guy is just about right up there....

I'm not an American Football fan and I have no idea if the guy in this video is a good quarterback or not.

But the way he communicates with his teammates (and opponents), and the way he is able to lead and motivate them, is definitely inspirational.

Try again.

This pope?

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/popersquos-child-porn-normal-claim-sparks-outrage-among-victims-15035449.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8587082.stm

If you're looking for a serious discussion on here, Im not the person to look for.

well that's a relief...neither am I

Jermaine Greer - in her younger,less celebrity days.Not afraid to rock the boat till the planks fell out or go head to hêad live on TV  with heavyweights (eg Henry Miller) and hold her own very nicely thank you.

Much of what she said is still valid today - all those years after.

On the same track -Siouxsie Sioux - female artist who didn't try to be anyone's sleek,airbrushed,gloss-lipped ,pouting pop star but dared to be who she FELT like being and pumped out music of amazing vitality and intelligence without any reference to "booty calls" or recourse to  designer corsets.Amazing woman.

Inspiring to see a witty answer

Snorted my coffee on to my keyboard ffs.  Well played.

Robbie Fowler inspires me.  I hope one day to achieve 0.1% of his manly awesomeness.

Inga Bejer Engh:

The Norwegian prosecutor who increasingly discomfited Anders Behring Breivik at the terrorism and murder trial the last days.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/photos/public-prosecutor-inga-bejer-engh-smiles-she-walks-photo-152345463.html

Who inspires me ?

I thought a long time before deciding if I was going to answer.

People who inspires me are people with rare diseases, and their family and friends.

Because they fight, not only to survive, but also to spread awereness about their conditions not only to the public, but also to the medical people who often misjudge the illness.

Long and difficult fight.

I think I am inspired by my own life, the ups and down, give the courage to fight :)

Who inspires me?

.... me!

Every day again

Finally someone understands :-)

...I had a shit day and I'm had those guys are always around...thanks' Mr. Tom Jobim and for sure, my dear Frank.

My kids. 

Sorry you had a "shit day".We all get them - from time to time. 

There are better ones to come

Who inspire me?

People who achieve something, especially in business. Those who start from nothing and create a successful business.

(maybe it's more admiration than inspiration...)

Try from the end of the world...Camaraderie and teamwork @ its best!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwTi-UeQ7s