Inspiration is that spark of excitement or energy that makes you want to create something, try something new, or work toward a goal. When a story inspires you to write your own adventure, or when watching an Olympic athlete inspires you to practice harder at your sport, that's inspiration at work.

The word comes from an ancient idea about breathing life into something. When you feel inspired, it's almost like new energy has been breathed into you. A blank page might seem boring until inspiration strikes, and suddenly you can't write fast enough to capture all your ideas. A difficult math problem might feel impossible until you get inspired by a new way of thinking about it.

Inspiration can come from anywhere: a beautiful sunset, a teacher's encouragement, a friend's creativity, or even a challenge that makes you determined to succeed. The inventors of the light bulb and the airplane found inspiration by observing the world around them.

People often talk about their inspirations (plural): the sources that motivate them. An artist might list other painters, nature, and dreams as inspirations for her work. Notice that inspiration isn't the same as copying. When something inspires you, it awakens your own ideas and energy. You take that spark and make something uniquely yours.