LOS ANGELES­­ –– Despite the current economic climate, and an often gloomy forecast for the immediate future, America continues to be a nation of inspired people. According to a recent survey conducted by Don Francisco’s Coffee ­­–– whose “Inspiration Index” asked respondents to rate their level of inspiration on a scale of 0 (“not at all inspired”) to 100 (“extremely inspired”) –– Americans scored an average of 66, indicating they generally feel inspired. And, who among us is most inspired? Coffee drinkers, for one.

The survey, which scored high on the inspiration index cited taking a coffee break as one of their most inspiring activities. And, although 40% of those surveyed cited coffee breaks as an inspiring moment, relaxing alone (78%), walking or exercising (73%) and hanging out with family and friends (66%) topped that list – and even driving (56%) seems to provide inspiration for some.

That said, coffee drinkers certainly feel passion for the beverage –– and the inspiration it engenders –– four out of 10 would be willing to give up alcoholic beverages, chocolate and going to the movies rather than part with their java. And yet, there are limits to this devotion. Perhaps not surprisingly, respondents were least likely to give up their car, job or sex for coffee.

According to Leonor Gaviña-Valls, vice president of marketing at F. Gaviña & Sons,  Inc., the survey results are a reflection of the vision and values the family-owned company has forged during it’s 130-year history: “At Don Francisco’s Coffee, we, too, take great inspiration from our enduring family legacy and the customers we have served for generations. With this survey, we hope to gain better insight into what motivates and inspires Americans, and in doing so, continue to evolve our brand so that it always represents those ideals.”

Who Inspires Americans Most? Immediate family (88%), with mothers and daughters leading over other family members top the list as the most inspiring people. Among professions, Americans find teachers (73%) to be the most inspiring by a large margin, while celebrities (23%), professional athletes (33%) and politicians (17%) are the least inspiring. And yet, despite the less than favorable view of members of government, President Barack Obama was the public figure most frequently named as a source of inspiration.

Don Francisco’s Coffee developed the first-of-its-kind “Inspiration Index” as a means of quantifying the current state of inspiration of the American people, taking into account internal personal factors such as optimism, spirituality, health and well-being, along with external factors such as state of the world, the economy, and the weather. The survey, which gathered responses from 1,008 adults nationwide, was conducted from April 15 to April 19, 2011.