My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage

“My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage, and she did it with a strength and a passion that I wish could be bottled.” Thus spoke Carly Fiorina, a woman of ambition and resilience, whose life in the halls of power was forged by the wisdom of a mother’s example. In this reflection, Fiorina honors not only the woman who shaped her but the eternal truth that inspiration and courage—when joined with strength and passion—become the lifeblood of greatness. These are not gifts that can be taught through words alone; they are living fires passed from one soul to another through action, love, and example.

The origin of these words lies not in grand speeches or political triumphs, but in the quiet, steadfast influence of a mother upon her child. Carly Fiorina, who rose from a secretary to become the CEO of Hewlett-Packard, often credited her mother as the foundation of her courage—the one who taught her to rise after every fall, to face every trial with grace and grit. When Fiorina speaks of her mother’s strength and passion as something she “wished could be bottled,” she acknowledges a truth known to every generation: that the courage of one heart can ignite the flame of many. The essence of leadership, she reminds us, is first learned in the home, from the hands that guide and the eyes that believe in us when we are small.

Inspiration, in its truest form, is not mere motivation; it is the breath of life that awakens purpose in the spirit. Fiorina’s mother did not teach her through flattery or comfort but through the example of endurance. Like the heroes of old, who learned valor by watching the steadfastness of their elders, Fiorina learned that courage is not the absence of fear but the resolve to stand firm despite it. In her mother’s strength, she saw the quiet heroism that often goes unnoticed—the courage of those who build, nurture, and endure without applause. Such courage, when seen by the young, becomes a seed that grows into lifelong conviction.

Throughout history, we see this truth reflected in the great and the humble alike. Consider the story of Abraham Lincoln, whose mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, though poor and frail, filled her son’s heart with faith and compassion. She told him, “I remember my mother’s prayers, and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.” Her inspiration and strength, though she left him when he was just nine years old, became the moral compass of a man who would carry the weight of a nation upon his shoulders. Just as Fiorina’s mother’s courage lived on in her daughter’s leadership, so too did Lincoln’s mother’s spirit live on in his unwavering resolve. Thus, the courage of mothers often echoes through the centuries, shaping destinies far beyond their own.

But Fiorina’s reflection carries another lesson: that true strength and passion cannot be manufactured, only embodied. The world often seeks formulas for success, strategies for greatness, and bottled versions of wisdom—but the fire that truly moves mountains cannot be contained. It is born in authenticity, in the lived example of those who dare to love fiercely, dream boldly, and persevere relentlessly. When Fiorina says she wishes her mother’s power “could be bottled,” she speaks the longing of all who have witnessed greatness close at hand—the desire to preserve it, to hold it, to pass it unchanged to the next generation. But such power cannot be stored; it must be lived, renewed with each act of courage and each word of inspiration we give to others.

To live with such courage is to honor those who taught us. Each of us, in our own way, carries the legacy of those who inspired us first. We, too, must become vessels of strength and bearers of light. Fiorina’s words challenge us to be more than recipients of inspiration; we must become its source. To do so, we must cultivate our own courage through action: to rise when we fail, to speak when it is hard, to lead when the path is uncertain. We must pour ourselves into the world with passion, as her mother did, so that others may draw from our example when their spirits waver.

Therefore, my children, let this truth be etched upon your hearts: inspiration and courage are among the greatest inheritances one soul can give another. Seek them not in books or fleeting moments, but in the lives of those who live with purpose and compassion. And when you find such a spirit—whether in a parent, a teacher, or a friend—do not merely admire it; learn from it. Let it shape you. Then go forth and pass that light on, for this is how strength endures through the ages.

And remember always the words of Carly Fiorina: “My mother taught me about the power of inspiration and courage, and she did it with a strength and a passion that I wish could be bottled.” Let them remind you that greatness does not begin with wealth or title, but with the quiet power of those who dare to live with love and purpose. Be that example for another, and the courage you give will outlive you — echoing, like a mother’s voice, through generations yet to come.