Sometimes inspirational mentors can be well-known yet, rather obscure.  They can set an ideal or a standard which prompts you to reflect on how you view yourself.  For me, Buddha represents mystery and heightened awareness. The three phases of his life experience--Siddhartha the prince, Gautama the monk, and Buddha the Compassionate, enlightened one, all set examples that urge the rest of us to redefine our own awakening:

1) Discover the truth.  According to Buddha, the individual person or concrete sense of self are illusions.  He grew to sense how ignorance and attachment lead human beings to create false assumptions and misunderstandings, including getting stuck in a limited self-view, rather than embracing unconditional love and infinite potential.  He urges us to willingly rethink the meaning and temptations of ownership, possession and control.

2) Believe in karma.  This brings us to the principle of 'what goes around comes around.'  Emotional attachments can weigh heavily on the human soul.  If a soul is held back by a sense of failure, fear, pain or regret, then it may be reluctant to heal the past.  Your prior experiences influence your psyche.  Good karma, means acting well so to ensure a healthy psyche in years to come (fruit of karma).  Past lives also influence where you are.

3)  Review your patterns.  Buddha claimed we tend toward or away from anticipated suffering. Learn why you hate or fear not getting what you want, or not receiving.  Conditioning leads you to distinguish good feelings from bad. Buddha appeared to grow from the hardships and pain of reality that Prince Guatama knew of in this world.

4) Follow the Middle Path.  Eliminate your attachment to existence, desire, and prosperity, and a way to the Middle Path will be revealed. This is achieved through the Holy Eightfold Path which includes; Right Belief, Right Aspiration, Right Speech, Right Conduct, Right Means of Livelihood, Right Endeavor, Right Memory, and Right Meditation.

Building a mindset like Buddha leads to insight, then acquired wisdom, which yields calm, knowledge, and eventually, Nirvana. Buddha deduced all else was linked to some unnecessary suffering.  He felt true peace and happiness could only be experienced through your mind and true pain and suffering could be felt in reality.  Whether or not we agree, we're invited to explore new ways of being to overcome our resistence to change.