“Motivation is the spark that ignites the fire of knowledge and fuels the engine of achievement. Maximize and maintain momentum” – Zig Ziglar
Well, I can’t think of a better way to kick off this article than with that very quote. It speaks very well of the truism that motivation is the facilitator of our success. As you read that article, and any other article that causes you to pause momentarily about your direction, ask yourself this question: Are you just drifting along the stream of life like a leaf in a stream? Pushed along the ebb and flow for no choice or reason. Or do you take a change of direction? Know this, the answer to this question has a huge impact on your life (both personal and professional) because life is full of ups and downs. The journey down the road of life is fraught with pit-fills, quick stops, blind turns, and sketchy roads. Then, on occasion after our trails, we are blessed with a period when there are smooth paved avenues, lined with beautiful trees, and unobstructed. However, this will pass and the next barrier, obstacle and challenge will offer itself.
Motivation is a critical ingredient for our resilience and ability to get back up when we’ve been knocked down (or knocked out). When you’re depressed, the right attitude and motivation can and will be the difference between responding positively or reacting negatively. This difference has many personal, professional, and financial impacts.
Let me give you a simple example. A few years ago I moved to the suburbs of the big city of Atlanta. This growing metropolis has the same traffic-related challenges that I’m sure most of you face if you have to travel to a major metropolitan area during peak traffic periods. Even though I’m the most upbeat and positive guy you’ll ever meet (apart from Zig of course). I must admit that I have occasionally made discouraging comments about traffic. I hit the steering wheel of my car and yelled orders to the driver in front of me. All of which was a pure waste of time. Because after all my pranks, the traffic was still there, and so was I. However, now my emotions were turning negative, so any little thing irritated them even more.
Now my typical commute can be about an hour each way. That’s two hours a day, five days a week, which brings us to about 500 hours a year with vacations, etc. If I were to make these barking and thrashing pranks a daily routine, I would certainly be flirting with potential accidents while challenging the drivers around me in my irritated state. Let’s not forget the physical effects caused by these negative emotions (headaches, high blood pressure, etc.)
No, for me the most obvious thing is to use this time in a more positive way. I have a complete library of audio education and motivation on tape and CD. As soon as I get in the car to start my journey, I put down my tape or CD and hit the road to work, and on the road to success. I have reviewed the works of Zig Ziglar, Anthony Robbins, Brain Tracy, Napoleon Hill, and Dale Carnegie. I’ve taken hundreds of hours in personal/professional development courses on topics like e-commerce, goal setting, creativity, IQ boosting, the list goes on and on. This automotive university has served me well in many ways. Bearing fruit in the motivation that has sparked ideas that I have turned into actions in the real world.
FACT: The tapes I listened to during these driving times never said, “Tracy, here’s the solution to your problem.” Some of my tapes gave me information, others gave me some positive thoughts to ponder. A person who wants to maximize his life will schedule regular motivational inputs and regular educational inputs. This post will be about their job, about who they are or want to be, or even about something completely new and unrelated to anything they currently do. These confidence-building injections of new concepts, ideas, thoughts, and opinions will energize you, build your momentum and motivation, and uplift you emotionally! You learn more when you are awake; you perform better when you are awake and people will react to you more positively when you are awake. So now is the time to buy motivational insurance. Get out your scheduler and schedule yourself regular intervals of motivational and educational information. Do this now, it will reward you with great rewards!
Let’s take a look at the dictionary for the definition of motivation (motivate, motivate)
Mo-ti-vate to provide, or affect as a motivation; prompts
Reason 1 year internal unit, impulse, etc. that makes one act; incentives 2 gold causing movement
Combining your regular infusion of motivational material with your educational materials will provide you with the momentum and momentum (motivational material) to put into motion the new confidence-building concepts, ideas, thoughts and opinions (educational material) that come your way. they will give energy This will further increase drive and motivation, taking you higher! Are you seeing the pattern here?
You can’t stand in front of the stove of life and say “Stove, give me some heat and I’ll put some wood for you!” You will have to work first by storing the fire that will warm your motivational soul.
Let me share with you 10 things you can do when you just can’t seem to get motivated.
1. Get some rest. One of the main demotivators of today’s society is the lack of rest. Go to bed an hour earlier to recover your rest. Or you could take a nap instead. A good night’s sleep is essential to your level of efficiency and motivation.
2. Get some exercise. Go for a walk, jog, exercise, or whatever level of physical exercise you can get up to. Exercise gets your endorphins flowing and this will do wonders for how you feel. Not to mention, you’ll do your body good. (make sure you don’t get hurt)
3. Touch the sap. Find out what is sapping your energy and get rid of it.
4. Pamper yourself. Take time for yourself. This could be a mini-vacation (a few hours to a day or two) Get away from it all and have fun. Clear your head and come back refreshed.
5. Review your goals. Review and remember why you are doing what you are doing. If you decide that now is not the time for a goal, get rid of the goal. Remember that you can always renew that goal again when the time is right.
6. Play with him. Pull out a calendar and leave yourself some cute notes or pictures (stickers work great here) about your goals and activities. Mail yourself letters to stay up to date and charged. Here’s one way you can use those things for free on the net. Places like Yahoo.com have free calendars that will send you notes and reminders. Make them fun!
7. Use trusted advisors as a support section. You can ask them to send you notes (see #6 above). You want them to motivate you, but don’t let them cover up the facts. Constructive criticism is a key tool here. That way you are motivated to grow or keep growing.
8. Find your song. We all have a song or songs that move us. Make yourself a tape or CD full of these uplifting songs. High-energy songs are best, whether they’re by Bach or the Backstreet Boys, as long as they move YOU.
9. Listen to your motivational tapes/CDs. Your car doesn’t have to be the only place you go to get motivated.
10. Hire help. I hired a maid for my wife. I have a martial arts coach and also a personal success coach. These coaches and coaches can help you accomplish those things you can’t handle alone.
Motivation allows you to effectively use not only newly acquired knowledge, but it will ignite, prompt, and enable you to put things into motion that you thought were long forgotten. Science has shown us that enthusiastically conveyed inspirational information activates the pituitary gland, which releases neurotransmitters that enhance our energy, creativity, and stamina. Keep your motivation up with your regularly scheduled motivation injections (articles like this are a good start). Keep your pool of knowledge growing so you have more fuel with which to stoke that fire.
“Your motivation will positively drive your attitude. Your positive attitude builds the confidence to be persistent. And of course, we already know that persistence pays off.” -Tracy Brinkman
Think successfully and act!