Motivation

Where does motivation come from?  We all have multiple things that motivate us from friends and family to our children.  Our motivating factors take all shapes and forms.  But where does the motivation really come from?  It comes from within yourself.

 

Think about it.  How can seeing a suffering children motivate you to help them?  There isn't some magnetic attraction caused by these children that motivates you or makes you move.  The initiation of all movement comes from within you.  This is a key factor to understand.  As you go through life and work towards your accomplishments, the only person that can really push you along is you.  I can hear people saying, "but my boss motivates me, if I don't perform I'll get fired."  Well the truth is, all your boss does is push certain buttons that bring thoughts into your mind.  In this case the thought of your boss firing you makes you perform but really the thought of the pain of losing the job is really what motivates you.  If you didn't need the job, what would be you motivator?

 

Understanding this key concept is very important in your success.  You also need to understand that the inner motivation is shaped by your values, beliefs, wants and goals.  If you look closely at your values and the things that motivate you, you will see a direct correlation between the two.  You will find that you are easily motivated to do things that align with your top values.  You will also find that the opposite is true as well, you will be less motivated to do things that don't align with your values. 

 

So next time you are having a hard time getting motivated to do something, review your values and the task at hand.  Associate one of your core values with the completion of the task.  If it doesn't fit any of your values then determine if it is something you really need to do.  If it is something you can't avoid then create a different road map that will associate the task to one of your core values.  Re-define the task into something that fits into your values.  For instance, say you need to finish a financial report for your boss by the end of the day and you can't get motivated because you really don't like financials and the work is boring.  Stop looking at the report as an exercise in financials find a different way to look at the work that fits you.  Maybe one of your core values is knowledge, so look at the report as an opportunity to showcase your breadth of knowledge to your boss.  I know this sounds a little fru-fru, but it works.  You have to learn how to make the changes in yourself to motivate yourself.

 

All motivation comes from you and the more you master your motivation the more you will succeed.

 

Cheers to Success!

Tony Booth