Most personal development teachers will agree that motivation plays a big role in your ability to achieve anything. Today I'm here to offer a different opinion. I believe motivation as significant as it is insignificant if you are willing to accept such a cryptic statement. This article will look at the essence of motivation and outline some of the ways it can help or hinder the progress towards your goals.
If you think motivation is the key to success you are wrong. Firstly what exactly is this thing called motivation? Different people define motivation in different ways but for the purposes of this article here's what I think.
Most people define motivation as an ability to take action. To these people motivation is a state of mind, it's a feeling. In other words it's a mental construct, it comes from your brain.
My problem with this is that as a state of mind, it is subject to continual change. You know what I mean right? For most people motivation comes and goes. Some days you are motivated and some times you feel lazy. In other words, motivation never lasts! If as many success experts teach, your level of achievement rests on your ability to 'motivate yourself' we are all in a lot of trouble!
Most people in this frame of mind talk about motivation as coming from a desire to achieve a certain goal. As psychologists would tell us, motivation can be intrinsic, arising from a desire we hold within, or external, when we are motivated by some external influence like a coach or a deadline. Again whether it be internal or external, these factors are subject to change: our desires fluctuate like the changing tide and external factors are in also in perpetual motion, increasing and decreasing in their effect on us.
In my mind I believe the motivation that we need is something very different.
I believe that to be ultimately successful we have to be driven forward by things that are eternal. We have to have as our motivation, underlying principles, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, values and goals that will never change. By being motivated this way, we can retain the sense that we must continually take action regardless of how internal or external circumstances change.
So what factors of our lives have this level of consistency?
While there are many, the main one is your purpose. Your life purpose, whatever it is you're here on this earth to do, and your innate need to fulfill that is the most powerfully motivating force you can experience. When your action each day is inspired by a desire to fulfill that which is the essence of your existence on this planet will push you farther than any emotional or physical external influence. What else?
Your values!
The things you value as a person are far more concrete than fluctuating impulses of desire that you experience daily. Your values contribute to who you are and once developed and clarified, create a code of conduct for your life that you will be very reluctant to violate. The urge to live these values and be congruent with that you value and believe also represents a powerful source of motivation.
While there is more, I intended this article to be merely a sample of some of the sources of motivation that are truly compelling. With a deeper level of introspection and a greater clarity of who you are you can experience a profound sense of motivation that can guarantee continual action and progress through all the seasons of your life's journey.
You will be more optimistic and happy to undertake your task. An enhancement of self esteem and confidence in you is also a result of following the motivational theory.
If you are serious about following the motivation theory in your life for achieving success, here are some important steps you must follow:
- Step 1: The driving force - vision
- Step 2: Define your goal - success
- Step 3: Action Step - The plan.
Let us discuss the above mentioned steps in detail:
1) Step One
- The driving force - Vision
Have you charged yourself up with self motivation? What is the force of motivation inside you? What makes you carry a task or play with full enthusiasm? What is the exact element that helps you to concentrate on a certain thing? Don’t get confused.
If you want to know about your driving force, you need to sit quite, for a while, think deeply and answer some important questions. This will make you clear about certain forces that make you work towards your dream. Now, answer some of the questions given below:
- Are you really anxious about the idea of spending one whole day or full week at work in order to make efforts towards organizing a business meeting?
- Close your eyes and think about a great vacation you have recently had. How do you feel about it at present? Can you clearly recall vivid images of the water and sand in your mind?
Now as you picturize all the pictures related to your vacation vividly, you are practicing the skill of visualization related to motivation theory.
2) Step Two
- Defining your goal of success
This step can be referred to as the detailed version of the step one. Here, you tend to experience with other senses and motivate yourself to define the goal. Here, the goal is the ‘vacation’. You should use all your senses in order to progress towards the success goal. Keep on defining your success goal.
Visualize your organization as the top manufacturer or producer of ABC products. Now, this will make you experience the excitement of being the top producer of ABC products. Now, as your senses start feeling the success make note of what you actually observe. Answer the following questions:
- What tasks are you involved in?
- What position have you acquired in your company?
- Do you own an office at the best location in the city?
- Do you see yourself sitting with the other board of directors of the company?
The whole process of answering the questions, visualizing as well as experiencing the achievement of goals will actually define your overall vision of success. Make a note of all that you fee, see, the location you are at, the attire you are wearing and other people’s reaction towards you.
The more detailed is your version, the better you would be able to define your goal. For instance, if you want to be famous, you cannot reach your goal until you define being ‘famous’.
3) Step Three
- The plan of action and your steps towards it
Once you have your vision of what success is to you, you can start working towards your goal.
Both Andrew Hansen & Bertil Hjert are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Andrew Hansen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Neuro Linguistic Programming, Internet Marketing and Web Development. Andrew Hansen is an entrepreneur, author and personal development trainer. He runs a website dedicated to that provides tips, information and advice on. Andrew Hansen's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Bertil Hjert has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, Health and Acid Reflux. For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about MOTIVATION and SELF HELP please visit and. Bertil Hjert's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.