We're all aware of the more high-profile celebrities who are inspiring people to make a positive change in our lives. Suze Orman teaches women the importance of getting their financial lives in order. Seth Godin inspires entrepreneurs and marketers to think in new ways. Zig Ziglar hands out lessons in the world of selling.

These people have much greater reach than the rest of us, and that's part of their appeal. We like to be part of a much larger group, so we like to cluster around a few people that everyone else seems to be listening to.

I think that while we give a few people who inspire us our rapt and undivided attention when they speak, we're still inspired most by those around us. It's our neighbor who lives a couple of doors down that we talk to once in a while. It's the barista at our favorite coffee shop. It's the group of people we spend all day with at work.

While we're not as mindful of what we're learning from those close to us as what we might take away from our favorite author or motivational speaker, I think the lessons we take from these people are more ingrained and affect our day-to-day behavior much more than celebrities can. That means, of course, that we're all in positions of influence whether we like it or not. Everyone around you is learning from you.

As a means of being introspective, the big question you should ask yourself is: what are other people learning from me. If you don't like the answer you come up with, you might consider changing what you're doing. Among other people, you're a lesson planner whether you know it or not, so take care to teach people well.