Be Inspired Without Losing Your Identity: Discover Healthy Influence While Embracing Your God-Given Purpose
Early summer, I was listening to an audiobook on personal branding and success. In the beginning chapter, the author asked:
“What do you want to be known for?”
As I thought about it, my answer came fairly quickly. It wasn’t based on a title I wanted to hold or an accomplishment I wanted people to remember. It was based on the kind of impact I hope to leave on the lives of others.
I want to be known for the power of influence.
Not influence built on status, recognition, or popularity, but influence that helps others grow, broaden their perspectives, and become better versions of themselves.
I want to be known for building meaningful relationships, sharing wisdom, and helping people see possibilities they may not have otherwise seen.
But then, almost as quickly as I settled on that answer, another immediate thought came to mind.
“How can I say I want the power of influence, yet simultaneously struggle when others begin modeling themselves after me?“
If I’m being honest, I’ve wrestled with this for quite some time.
When Influence Gets Uncomfortable
Over the years, there have been moments when someone I knew purchased the same car, chose a similar hairstyle, bought the same outfit, or adopted something that I considered uniquely my own. Instead of receiving it as a compliment, I often found myself feeling indifferent.
Please hear me clearly.
My discomfort was never rooted in believing I was better than anyone else.
On the contrary, it was more a feeling of disappointment or confusion . . . for them.
Let me explain.
I value individuality, both for myself and for others. I cherish it so much because I fought for mine. Learning to become comfortably and unapologetically myself has been a journey. It required letting go of the pressure to fit into other people’s expectations and becoming more confident in the woman God created ME to be.
That’s the same freedom I want others to experience.
Whenever I think about being considered an influencer, my desire is never to create copies of myself. I genuinely believe people are often more gifted, capable, and unique than they give themselves credit for. I don’t want someone to become Dawn. I want them to discover who they are.
More Than Meets the Eye
As I continued thinking about it, I realized there was something I hadn’t considered.
People are paying attention to way more than we sometimes realize.
They notice how we carry ourselves, how we make decisions, the confidence we project, our daily habits, and the seemingly ordinary things that define who they believe we are.
Notice I said, “who they BELIEVE we are.”
For me, that’s where influence sometimes became uncomfortable.
It wasn’t necessarily about the car, hairstyle, outfit, or whatever else someone may have adopted. The issue for me was whether they understood the journey, experiences, and lessons behind some of the things that had helped shape who I am.
They see my fruit without understanding the roots.
I often say it this way:
“People see the glory, but they don’t know the backstory.”
For some time, that’s where my thinking stopped.
Then I began looking at influence from a different perspective.
Understanding Where Admiration Begins
I eventually began to realize that growth often starts by looking beyond ourselves.
When we’re navigating a new season, we naturally seek wisdom from people we admire, trust, or respect. We ask questions, seek guidance, and consider their experiences as we determine how to approach our own journey.
So . . . ADMIRATION often becomes the starting point.
And sometimes, before we’ve fully discovered what something looks like for us, we begin by following what we’ve seen work well for others.
Before long, admiration turns into IMITATION. Sometimes it’s intentional. Other times, it takes place outside of our awareness.
But maybe that’s not as unusual as it sounds.
Learning Through Imitation
Our tendency to learn through imitation begins long before we ever understand what influence is. The tendency to imitate begins in childhood.
Long before we understand identity, we observe, repeat, and mimic those around us. Through our earliest experiences with family and community, we begin discovering what we enjoy and value. Those early influences help shape us.
As we mature, that way of learning doesn’t necessarily disappear. Over time, however, the people we look to become different.
When I Saw It in Myself
During my season of transition between my previous professional role and launching Dawn of a New Day 365, I sought personal, professional, and spiritual guidance. I allowed myself to be vulnerable, asking for honest feedback about my strengths while exploring ideas I had been considering.
One of the resources that became a meaningful source of support for me was Godlywood Girl and its creator, Stephanie Rodnez.
Stephanie provided a framework and practical tools for Christian women pursuing entrepreneurship and desiring to publish. Those resources gave me a place to begin.
However, because this space was so new to me, it felt intimidating. So naturally, I found myself wanting to use many of Stephanie’s methods and strategies exactly as she suggested, regardless of her encouragement for us to identify our authentic niche.
But as my confidence grew, I found my own place as Dawn, and eventually, Stephanie’s framework became a foundation rather than a finish line.
What began for me as imitation gradually evolved into discovering what fit me, my voice, my calling, and the vision God had given me for that season.
And that’s when I saw it.
Yes, I, too, had looked to someone I admired while I was still finding my own footing. Suddenly, the process I had been struggling to understand in others looked a little different when I recognized that I had experienced it myself.
Looking back, I see that the tension wasn’t actually about imitation. It was about reconciling my influence with the discomfort I sometimes feel when imitation becomes a visible result of my influence.
The Fine Line Between Admiration and Imitation
The problem is not admiration leading to imitation. The problem is when we rely on imitation for too long, allowing it to stifle the discovery of our true identity. And that’s where I believe the fine line exists.
There is a quote often attributed to Oscar Wilde that says,
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”
While I don’t agree with every part of that statement, I do understand the truth behind its opening words.
Sometimes, imitation is intended as an homage to the person being imitated. In most cases, it isn’t meant to offend or diminish a person’s individuality. We simply see something we admire or aspire to and want some version of it for ourselves.
But when we aspire to be like someone else, we often focus on the outcome of what we perceive them to possess—the embodiment of something we desire for ourselves. We don’t always consider everything that produced what we see.
What we see now as confidence may have been built through years of struggle. What we perceive as a simple decision may have been shaped through prayer, mistakes, disappointments, growth, and experiences we know nothing about.
Your growth requires understanding YOUR process.
You can’t simply duplicate someone else’s outcome because, first of all, you can’t duplicate the process that produced it. Their experiences, lessons, and journey belong to them. Your growth requires discovering what those things look like in your own life.
That’s why I’ve come to believe that imitation should be the springboard, not the mattress.
A springboard launches us forward. It gives us momentum until we discover our own rhythm, our own confidence, and our own voice. A mattress, on the other hand, is where we remain. It’s comfortable. Familiar. But if we stay there too long, it begins to hurt us.
Healthy influence gives us somewhere to begin and should inspire us to grow beyond what or who first inspired us. Influence should eventually lead us to discover who we are, becoming a better version of ourselves rather than a closer version of someone else.
When Inspiration Changes Direction
As I continued reflecting, I also realized that not every person who imitates someone is operating from the same place.
What begins as healthy inspiration can quietly change direction if we’re not careful.
Is It Inspiration, Comparison, or Competition?
Inspiration broadens our perspective.
However, left unchecked, comparison secretly measures our perceived weaknesses against someone else’s strengths.
Meanwhile, insecurity whispers that becoming someone else is easier than facing the growth needed for ourselves.
Competition convinces us that someone else’s success somehow diminishes our own.
Although those motivations often produce similar behaviors, they originate from very different places.
One person may be thinking,
“She showed me what was possible.”
Another quietly wonders,
“Why don’t I have what she has?”
Someone else may believe,
“Maybe if I become more like her, I’ll finally feel like enough.”
Another may be determined to prove,
“I’m just as capable.”
The actions look similar. The heart behind them is not.
That’s why this conversation requires honesty.
Not honesty about someone else’s motives.
Honesty about our own.
If someone else’s life inspires us to grow, then their influence has served its purpose.
On the other hand, if it causes us to lose sight of who God created us to be, then inspiration has definitely changed direction.
The Responsibility of Influence
Recognizing the effects of influence caused me to think differently about my own responsibility.
I better understand why I value authenticity so deeply and why I don’t mind sharing my vulnerabilities. I believe doing so gives others permission to acknowledge their own.
That’s one of the reasons I started Dawn of a New Day 365. It was never intended to be a platform that projected perfection.
I created it to remind people that growth, healing, faith, and purpose are journeys we continue walking every day.
If people are going to be influenced by what they see in me, I want them to understand that what they see was developed through a process too.
Maybe that’s part of healthy influence.
Not simply allowing people to see our strengths . . . but being willing to share enough of our story that they understand the strength they now witness had to be built.
The Goal Was Never Me
As I reflected on everything this journey had taught me, I finally found peace with the tension I had been carrying.
The conflict was never about whether I wanted to influence others, have them learn from my experiences, or encourage others to grow. I absolutely do.
The conflict came from misunderstanding the destination.
The goal was never me.
I was never meant to be the gold standard for who someone else should try to be.
Neither were you.
That’s why 1 Corinthians 11:1 has taken on a much deeper meaning for me.
The Apostle Paul wrote,
“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”
He understood that his life could serve as an example, but he also understood that his example should point people to Christ.
And ultimately, that’s the kind of influence I want to have.
If my story encourages someone else, I’m grateful.
If my experiences help someone avoid unnecessary distractions and detours, that’s even better.
And if my transparency—even when questioned—gives someone permission to embrace both their strengths and their struggles, then every lesson I’ve learned and shared has been worthwhile.
Because the goal of healthy influence isn’t to create replicas. It’s to encourage confidence, courage, and clarity while giving people the freedom to discover and embrace their own identity.
I believe that was what I was searching for all along.
Yes, I still want to be known for the power of influence.
Only now, I understand what that influence was always meant to accomplish—not creating people who look more like me, but pointing them toward the freedom to become who God created them to be.
Final Thoughts
When I first heard the question, “What do you want to be known for?” my answer was:
I want to be known for the power of influence.
Now, after reflecting on everything this journey has taught me, my answer is still the same. Only now, I understand my answer differently and more clearly.
I’ve learned I don’t need to be so concerned with whether someone imitates what they see in me. What should matter most is how my influence can inspire others in the way they live their own lives.
If my life encourages someone to lead with integrity, love more deeply, trust God more fully, or pursue the purpose He has placed before them, then I believe my influence has accomplished exactly what it was intended to do.
Perhaps that’s the greatest compliment of all.
Not because someone wanted to become more like me . . .
. . . but because our encounter IGNITED something within them that drew them closer to who they were meant to be all along.
Always here to help you see the SUNSHINE! ~Dawn
A Moment to Connect
If this message resonated with you, I invite you to continue the conversation here at Dawn of a New Day 365.
You may also enjoy reading “Bloom Where You’re Planted,“ where I reflect on the importance of growing faithfully where God has planted you rather than comparing your journey to someone else’s.
I hope every article, conversation, and reflection shared through Dawn of a New Day 365 encourages you to embrace your story, grow with intention, and walk confidently in the unique purpose God has designed with you in mind. Because the world doesn’t need another copy. It needs an authentic you.
Pause & Reflect
As you continue your journey, take a moment to ask yourself:
- When I admire someone, does this person inspire me, or am I comparing myself to them?
- What gifts, experiences, and perspectives has God entrusted to me that I’ve yet to fully embrace or intentionally develop?
Key Takeaways
- Influence carries both opportunity and responsibility.
- Imitation can be part of growth, but it should never hinder identity.
- Healthy influence creates refinement, not replication.
- No one else can fulfill the unique purpose God designed with you in mind.
Perhaps you’ve found yourself inspired by someone else’s journey. Or maybe you’ve quietly wrestled with comparison, competition, or the temptation to imitate what was never meant to be yours.
Either way, remember this:
Healthy influence doesn’t ask you to become someone else. It invites you to discover more of who you already are.
In Loving Memory of…
I dedicate this blog to my cousin Yolanda Robinson, whose support and kindness towards me were always felt. I’ll miss our laughs and special conversations. Thank you for always accepting, including, and loving me.
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