By Colin Thompson
One of the hardest challenges we all face in our lives is staying motivated. Whether it's our job, work, staying healthy, or keeping our relationships stimulating and growing, we all ebb and flow in our motivation cycles. No one's fire burns all the time. We actually need that ebb and flow to distinguish where we are and what we need to do to jump start things.
The classic driving components of motivation are having a passion and a clearly defined purpose. When you combine that passion and purpose with drive, energy and commitment, then motivation is fired up. Passion and purpose are by far some of the strongest emotions and beliefs we experience. They touch us so deeply and leave an indelible enduring residual. Think about the people, places and things that you have been truly passionate about in your life. I mean the passions that propelled you to be better and feel more deeply.
Passion and purpose are by far some of the strongest emotions and beliefs we experience.
So lets look at these driving components of motivation:
- Passion: Are you passionate about who you are and what you are doing now? If not, then find the courage to become who you want to be and do what you really want to do.
- Drive: Do you have that "wanting it so much" that you are mentally willing to take the calculated risks?
- Risk Taking: Have you identified what risks you can afford to take on the way to achieving your goals?
- Commitment: Are your goals written down? Are the tasks necessary to attain your goals outlined realistically?
Motivation has to have a pay off, a reward.
Realizing our potential is the engine that defines and drives our success and happiness--and why we get motivated.
What qualities help us realize our potential? You don't need all of these in equal quantities, but you do need most of them.
- Purpose--a sense of a personal mission
- Optimism--retaining a positive attitude
- Tenacity--keep trying; be relentlessly persistent
- Enthusiasm--deep belief in what you are doing
- Nurture--helping your people (and yourself) learn and grow
- Trust--honor your word, in business and personally
- Integrity--honesty and loyalty
- Attainable-- set realistic goals, but ones you can stretch to attain
- Love--who you are and what you do
Realizing our potential is the engine that defines and drives our success and happiness--and why we get motivated.
Also, think about what motivates you. It can be one or several things...
- A role model
- Rewards
- Recognition
- Consequences
- Achievement
Turn those key qualities and your motivation into your call to action.
What bold actions are you prepared to implement to realize your potential?
What pay off are you expecting from your actions?
So to begin, find your passions and purpose. They need not be large and grandiose, but can be small and simple. Find your drive and commitment. It can be about a single thing that's important to you or a larger vision of how you want your world to be. Begin today to rekindle your motivational fire. Enjoy the ride and savor the way it makes you feel about yourself.
Have fun, learn heaps, and remember life is all about commitment, have the right attitude to make your own success in life with others!
