Motivation Served Daily Blog

One of the biggest reasons we often feel unmotivated is because it seems too hard to make the changes we want to see in our lives. It’s easier to sit back and do nothing, moan and groan about how awful everything is, how tired we are of floating in a river of mediocrity. But it only seems easier to do that because we’ve gotten USED to doing that.

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Just like every action has a consequence, inaction also brings about its own consequences. It may seem easier not to work on your goals and dreams and instead spend most of your time griping about your hard luck and envying those who seem to have it so easy. You may think you’re taking the path of least resistance as you seek shortcuts and avoid taking big risks, but everything you fail to do now comes back to bite you later. What you fail to realize is that you are working equally hard at failure as you would at success!

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One of my favorite quotes is, “Hardships, poverty and want are the best incentives, and the best foundation, for the success of man.”  (Bradford Merrill)

As much as we might dread the challenges we face in life, they are often the very things that get us off our behinds and moving toward the creation of something better.  Without the contrast of situations that make us unhappy, what incentive would we have to do something else?

Do you remember your first job?  Maybe you delivered newspapers from your bicycle at the crack of dawn, or you babysat for neighborhood children, or walked neighborhood dogs for a small fee.  You’re not still doing that, are you?  Most likely you’ve moved on from your first job to take others with more responsibility and greater pay.

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One of the most common reasons that people struggle to feel motivated is because they have lost hope that their lives can ever be any different. You can see the devastating effect of hopelessness in impoverished areas of the world. Where there is little opportunity, little progress and little resources, there is also usually little hope.

You’ve probably even noticed this in your own life. If you’ve struggled to make changes and failed, or wanted to make changes but didn’t see any way to do it, you probably ended up with a sense of futility and hopelessness that dashed your dreams. Then what happened? You gave up because there seemed to be no reason to keep trying.

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If you’ve ever had a hard time getting or staying disciplined, you may have been struggling with a lack of motivation. Motivation and discipline usually go hand-in-hand because without motivation, it is nearly impossible to become disciplined. Ironically, once you become disciplined you rarely need to be motivated to keep your life running smoothly.

Discipline is a willingness and commitment to do what needs to be done. Without discipline, our lives would be in disarray. Think about the things you do on a daily or weekly basis that are required in order to maintain your life properly. Housework, laundry, grocery shopping, fueling and maintaining your vehicle, working, bathing, paying bills, balancing the checkbook, sleeping, and more are all required activities. Without them, what would your life look like?

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As different and varied as people are, so are the things that can motivate us. What motivates me into taking action will probably not be the same thing that motivates you into taking action. While we may indeed share a few common motivators, each of us also has very unique “hot buttons” of motivation, so to speak.

If you want to get and stay motivated, it is helpful to first identify the things that serve as your hot buttons. Once you know what they are, it’s very easy to keep doing them and keep your motivation high.

The best way to start is by considering the simple things you’ve done in the past that have made you feel motivated. Do you have some favorite books that fire you up when you read them? Does a certain movie always inspire you? Do you admire certain famous people for their accomplishments and yearn to follow in their footsteps?

Your motivation doesn’t always have to come from positive, uplifting stuff either! I don’t know about you, but I’m INCREDIBLY motivated when the mortgage is due and my bank account is lacking. That scenario can get me off my butt more effectively than reading a book or watching a movie – no matter how inspiring they may be. Depending on your goal, money can be a great motivator. But what if your goal has nothing to do with money?

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How often have you heard someone tell you “not to take it personally”?  This is often the disclaimer given when negative or insulting comments are being spoken about you.

You may be tempted to dismiss negative comments simply because they conflict with the image you would like to have of yourself.  While you can’t mindlessly believe everything a person says about you either, you might want to selectively absorb pieces of information and use them as fuel for motivation.

If several people in your life have mentioned that you seem to be lacking in purpose, or you’re too timid, shy, unconfident, or any other unflattering description – ask yourself why they might have this impression of you.
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Do you have a personal mission? Do you have a compelling reason to get out of bed each day and work consistently toward a clear payoff?

If not, you may be lost in a cycle of inertia. Inertia occurs when your life lacks forward progress and stagnant energy begins to build up. Stagnant energy buildup will eventually create persistent lack, emptiness and lethargy in all areas of your life.

You don’t need lofty goals to avoid stagnation and lack, but you do need to be focused on some type of progress and movement rather than staying stuck in one place. Creating a personal mission can motivate you to climb out of the rut of mediocrity and blast stagnation out of your life permanently.

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If you’ve ever felt unmotivated because you couldn’t see a bigger vision for your life, you are among the many people who struggle to recognize their full potential.

There are many reasons this happens, but most often it is the result of childhood conditioning or limiting inner beliefs. If your parents were always belittling your dreams of greatness, or if someone gave you the impression that you would never amount to anything, you may struggle to see any possible way to improve upon your life.
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Most of us have become so accustomed to seeking the easiest route possible to our goals (or anything in life) that we are easily intimidated by difficulty. We’ve become a fast-food-drive-thru-no-waiting-instant-gratification society; we want what we want - and we want it now!

As wonderful and helpful as some of our modern technological advancements can be, they have also spoiled us terribly. We’ve forgotten the joy of anticipation and the satisfaction to be gained from hard work and patience. Even worse, we have a hard time getting motivated about something that we have to work toward rather than obtaining it right now.

In order to build up your self-control and keep your motivation strong, get into the habit of avoiding taking the easy way out of anything. Whether you are working toward some big goals or focusing on personal development or seeking a promotion at work – roll up your sleeves and get to work! Dive into the pleasure of giving your full focus and effort to each task you do, and allow yourself to bask in the satisfaction of a job well done.

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