Do you need motivation? Well, maybe you don´t need motivation perhaps something else is missing...
Why you don't need motivation
by: Marie-Pier Charron
As a life coach, I often hear people say they lack motivation – in fact, the “motivation discussion” is almost a ritual with my new clients. You really want something, in fact you almost need it, but you just don’t have the drive to get to it. As a result, you blame yourself; you get stuck in your disappointment, your guilt, or your frustration – further and further away from your goal.
But why are we not always driven enough to meet our objectives in the first place? Is it that we are not sufficiently determined? Or maybe we are not tough and strong enough?
The way I see things, motivation is akin to the sap that runs in the tree: it keeps the tree alive – in fact, it’s essential to it – but it’s useless if the tree (our objective) is rooted in poor, unhealthy grounds. It’s not our motivation that makes the objective real, it’s the other way around: when our goals are healthy, the drive to take action flows naturally. When our goals are unhealthy, we have to push ourselves all along the path to “success” – and we don’t even feel like celebrating at the end (when we do get there).
So what is an “unhealthy” objective? It’s an objective we hold for the wrong reasons, or with the wrong attitude: it’s rooted in poor grounds. It’s not that we should not lose weight; it’s just that we decided to do so because we don’t like (let alone love) ourselves and we think that will patch the problem. It’s not that we should not start this new business; it’s just that we are dead afraid of failure. And there’s nothing wrong with studying law, it’s just that we do so only to honor our (deceased) father’s values and wishes.
There are many factors that can literally kill our motivation at its roots, but weakness certainly isn’t one of them. The real motivation inhibitors go more along this line:
Our objective is not a real priority (Going to the gym, when you have three children to take care of)
We feel our objective is inaccessible (A brand-new Volvo when we can’t afford a Toyota)
Our objective was inspired or chosen by someone else (That law degree…Or maybe your partner wants you to stop smoking)
Our objective is motivated by self-rejection rather than self-respect (Very frequent, and always overlooked. People trying to lose weight often experience that)
Our objective is a strong “should”, or a vibrant “must”; but not a “want” (It would be appropriate to be in better terms with the other members of our family, but we are too resentful about past events to really change anything)
We are afraid of success, afraid of failure. Afraid of something (We are conflicted about our objective, we have mixed motives – even if we are not aware of them)
Our objective is not in alignment with our true self (Looking for a job in a field that doesn’t feel right to us)
Some part of us doesn’t want to reach our objective, for some reasons (We know that when we do reach our goal, we’ll have to do or experience something that repulses us)
We feel overwhelmed by all the actions we have to take (we have a hard time taking one small step at a time)
A recent failure makes us feel powerless
Etc.
When we start looking at this, we realize that the results we get (or do not get) are an accurate reflection of what we deeply think, and feel. We do not experience in life what we hope for, but rather what we think we deserve, what we expect, what we are the most confident in. That’s how we create. We will not feel much motivation for a goal that is incongruent with our profound beliefs and thoughts – as idyllic as this goal may be.
Motivation isn’t about toughness and strength – it’s about alignment. It’s not necessarily about wanting something very badly… but more about wanting something completely. When we lack motivation, some part of us is saying, “I don’t want to reach that goal – it doesn’t serve me”. Maybe it’s time to change our objective… maybe we need to look inward and take care of other things first (see the list above). Or maybe we just need to take a deep breath, relax, and listen to the wind for a while…
Marie-Pier Charron is founder of Implosions, and editor of a monthly newsletter filled with practical tips and powerful self-growth strategies. To get your own free subscription, visit her at http://www.implosions.net info@implosions.net
Still need motivation?
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Motivation, Keys To
There are secret keys to motivation most people know nothing about. Do you know the keys to lasting motivation?
Motivation-- the Key is in Your Actions
by: Kate Hufstetler
Have you ever read something like this as a "way to increase motivation"? :
"When you open your eyes get yourself excited to be awake each new day !! Joy is contagious, and so is pessimism! Tell yourself you're happy to be alive!. This might be the day you find love. Great things could come your way. Think positively that something good will happen to you today and 3 our of 4 chances it will."
To this I say BAH HUMBUG ! gibberish !!!! hahaha
Who re-writes this stuff (over and over and over)? Have they ever had depression? faced bankruptcy? been hit by a tornado? .... perhaps...
The truth is-- motivation CAN be generated... but not out of thin air.
To create a life filled with motivation start with 3 small steps:
** Set Goals-- then you have something you love to work for or to work towards.
** Have Hobbies -- something you are learning or are passionate about in your free time... then TAKE TIME to pursue them! You will be amazed how the thought of returning to a pleasure later in the evening can help you feel great and desire to get through the work day ahead!!
** Be in the Moment -- one of the things I discovered in my thirties is that there is a BETTER word for boredom--- it is a hidden well kept secret to those under 32. Would you like to know what the real term for that feeling is? ok-- here goes-- it is PEACE. Enjoy it :-)
How can you expect motivation without: personal goals? If you have a personal short term goal for each week that works towards your monthly and yearly longer term goals-- this will inspire you throughout your week.
Motivation is easier when: you have hobbies you LOVE, enjoy, and pursue. A few side bonuses include: you will be a more pleasant person to be around, have more to talk about with friends and new acquaintances, and feel better about yourself and your day as you look forward to each new opportunity to pursue your passions.
For Motivation: all throughout the day, if you can remember and try to stay in the moment (called mindfulness) when things aren't quite as exciting-- then you will come to realize that at every given moment you have everything you need.
This is not mumbo jumbo. In years past, I went through an upsetting situation or 2 myself. Yet, I honestly can say: there might have been things I wanted, or felt I needed, in those moments. BUT, in the absolute miniscule of the moment-- right there and then-- I could realize that with the situation / circumstance unchangeable then (even as it was) I had everything I was going to have.
And THERE-- in that space, in each breath, I was infinitely -- ok. (even if I "felt" horrible). Often times, you will find you are much, much more than "ok". You are truly BLESSED-- especially compared to those in war torn villages, or third world countries.
No one has to wait until their 30's to begin to realize how to live their life on course and as a fulfilling joy.
In fact many of us set goals, had hobbies, and lived in the moment as teenagers. Maybe we were onto something back then!
If life has thrown you a curve you never intended on-- fire right back! Don't give up. Instead find your motivation again in each day as you live on purpose with goals and designs that bring your life joy and pleasure.
Work daily to keep before you things to achieve, elements that bring delight, and all along the way stay reflective in the moment. If you can do this-- your motivation should naturally grow on a daily basis.
Until next time--- all the best,
Kate
Kate Hufstetler is a well established business & personal coach who has helped many individuals like yourself to beat "the blues" and gain control over their lives. Her clients come from both the United States and overseas. She offers coaching services via email and phone consultations at flexible timing and financing to meet your every need. Through personal, business, spiritual mentorship, she could help you too! Please visit for available packages within your range: http://www.comedreamwithme.com/start_today.html
Kate@comedreamwithme.com
Motivation, the keys are in your hands now - use them!
Motivation-- the Key is in Your Actions
by: Kate Hufstetler
Have you ever read something like this as a "way to increase motivation"? :
"When you open your eyes get yourself excited to be awake each new day !! Joy is contagious, and so is pessimism! Tell yourself you're happy to be alive!. This might be the day you find love. Great things could come your way. Think positively that something good will happen to you today and 3 our of 4 chances it will."
To this I say BAH HUMBUG ! gibberish !!!! hahaha
Who re-writes this stuff (over and over and over)? Have they ever had depression? faced bankruptcy? been hit by a tornado? .... perhaps...
The truth is-- motivation CAN be generated... but not out of thin air.
To create a life filled with motivation start with 3 small steps:
** Set Goals-- then you have something you love to work for or to work towards.
** Have Hobbies -- something you are learning or are passionate about in your free time... then TAKE TIME to pursue them! You will be amazed how the thought of returning to a pleasure later in the evening can help you feel great and desire to get through the work day ahead!!
** Be in the Moment -- one of the things I discovered in my thirties is that there is a BETTER word for boredom--- it is a hidden well kept secret to those under 32. Would you like to know what the real term for that feeling is? ok-- here goes-- it is PEACE. Enjoy it :-)
How can you expect motivation without: personal goals? If you have a personal short term goal for each week that works towards your monthly and yearly longer term goals-- this will inspire you throughout your week.
Motivation is easier when: you have hobbies you LOVE, enjoy, and pursue. A few side bonuses include: you will be a more pleasant person to be around, have more to talk about with friends and new acquaintances, and feel better about yourself and your day as you look forward to each new opportunity to pursue your passions.
For Motivation: all throughout the day, if you can remember and try to stay in the moment (called mindfulness) when things aren't quite as exciting-- then you will come to realize that at every given moment you have everything you need.
This is not mumbo jumbo. In years past, I went through an upsetting situation or 2 myself. Yet, I honestly can say: there might have been things I wanted, or felt I needed, in those moments. BUT, in the absolute miniscule of the moment-- right there and then-- I could realize that with the situation / circumstance unchangeable then (even as it was) I had everything I was going to have.
And THERE-- in that space, in each breath, I was infinitely -- ok. (even if I "felt" horrible). Often times, you will find you are much, much more than "ok". You are truly BLESSED-- especially compared to those in war torn villages, or third world countries.
No one has to wait until their 30's to begin to realize how to live their life on course and as a fulfilling joy.
In fact many of us set goals, had hobbies, and lived in the moment as teenagers. Maybe we were onto something back then!
If life has thrown you a curve you never intended on-- fire right back! Don't give up. Instead find your motivation again in each day as you live on purpose with goals and designs that bring your life joy and pleasure.
Work daily to keep before you things to achieve, elements that bring delight, and all along the way stay reflective in the moment. If you can do this-- your motivation should naturally grow on a daily basis.
Until next time--- all the best,
Kate
Kate Hufstetler is a well established business & personal coach who has helped many individuals like yourself to beat "the blues" and gain control over their lives. Her clients come from both the United States and overseas. She offers coaching services via email and phone consultations at flexible timing and financing to meet your every need. Through personal, business, spiritual mentorship, she could help you too! Please visit for available packages within your range: http://www.comedreamwithme.com/start_today.html
Kate@comedreamwithme.com
Motivation, the keys are in your hands now - use them!
Leadership Motivation
Want to learn about leadership motivation? You may need to more than you think. Why? Because we all need to influence others and we need to know how to motivate ourselves and others - leadership motivation is very important...
Three Factors Of Leadership Motivation
by: Brent Filson
Leaders do nothing more important than get results. But you can't get results by yourself. You need others to help you do it. And the best way to have other people get results is not by ordering them but motivating them. Yet many leaders fail to motivate people to achieve results because those leaders misconstrue the concept and applications of motivation. To understand motivation and apply it daily, let's understand its three critical factors. Know these factors and put them into action to greatly enhance your abilities to lead for results.
1. MOTIVATION IS PHYSICAL ACTION.
'Motivation' has common roots with 'motor,' 'momentum,' 'motion,' 'mobile,' etc. all words that denote movement, physical action. An essential feature of motivation is physical action. Motivation isn't about what people think or feel but what they physically do. When motivating people to get results, challenge them to take those actions that will realize those results.
I counsel leaders who must motivate individuals and teams to get results not to deliver presentations but 'leadership talks.' Presentations communicate information. But when you want to motivate people, you must do more than simply communicate information. You must have them believe in you and take action to follow you. A key outcome of every leadership talk must be physical action, physical action that leads to results.
For instance, I worked with the newly appointed director of a large marketing department who wanted the department to achieve sizable increases in the results. However, the employees were a demoralized bunch who had been clocking tons of overtime under her predecessor and were feeling angry that their efforts were not being recognized by senior management.
She could have tried to order them to get the increased results. Many leaders do that. But order leadership founders in today's highly competitive, rapidly changing markets. Organizations are far more competitive when their employees instead of being ordered to go from point A to point B want to go from point A to point B. So I suggested that she take a first step in getting the employees to increase results by motivating those employees to want to increase results. They would 'want to' when they began to believe in her leadership. And the first step in enlisting that belief was for her to give a number of leadership talks to the employees.
One of her first talks that she planned was to the department employees in the company's auditorium.
She told me, 'I want them to know that I appreciate the work they are doing and that I believe that they can get the results I'm asking of them. I want them to feel good about themselves.'
'Believing is not enough,' I said. 'Feeling good is not enough. Motivation must take place. Physical action must take place. Don't give the talk until you know what precise action you are going to have happen.'
She got the idea of having the CEO come into the room after the talk, shake each employee's hand, and tell each how much he appreciated their hard work physical action. She didn't stop there. After the CEO left, she challenged each employee to write down on a piece of paper three specific things that they needed from her to help them get the increases in results and then hand those pieces of paper to her personally physical action.
Mind you, that leadership talk wasn't magic dust sprinkled on the employees to instantly motivate them. (To turn the department around so that it began achieving sizable increases in results, she had to give many leadership talks in the weeks and months ahead.) But it was a beginning. Most importantly, it was the right beginning.
2. MOTIVATION IS DRIVEN BY EMOTION.
Emotion and motion come from the same Latin root meaning 'to move'. When you want to move people to take action, engage their emotions. An act of motivation is an act of emotion. In any strategic management endeavor, you must make sure that the people have a strong emotional commitment to realizing it.
When I explained this to the chief marketing officer of a worldwide services company, he said, 'Now I know why we're not growing! We senior leaders developed our marketing strategy in a bunker! He showed me his 'strategy' document. It was some 40 pages long, single spaced. The points it made were logical, consistent, and comprehensive. It made perfect sense. That was the trouble. It made perfect, intellectual sense to the senior leaders. But it did not make experiential sense to middle management who had to carry it out. They had about as much input into the strategy as the window washers at corporate headquarters. So they sabotaged it in many innovative ways. Only when the middle managers were motivated were emotionally committed to carrying out the strategy did that strategy have a real chance to succeed.
3. MOTIVATION IS NOT WHAT WE DO TO OTHERS. IT'S WHAT OTHERS DO TO THEMSELVES.
The English language does not accurately depict the psychological truth of motivation. The truth is that we cannot motivate anybody to do anything. The people we want to motivate can only motivate themselves. The motivator and the 'motivatee' are always the same person. We as leaders communicate, they motivate. So our 'motivating' others to get results really entails our creating an environment in which they motivate themselves to get those results.
For example: a commercial division leader almost faced a mutiny on his staff when in a planning session, he put next year's goals, numbers much higher than the previous year's, on the overhead. The staff all but had to be scrapped off the ceiling after they went ballistic. 'We busted our tails to get these numbers last year. Now you want us to get much higher numbers? No way!'
He told me. 'We can hit those numbers. I just have to get people motivated!'
I gave him my person!' pitch. I suggested that he create an environment in which they could motivate themselves. So he had them assess what activities got results and what didn't. They discovered that they spent more than 60 percent of their time on work that had nothing to do with getting results. He then had them develop a plan to eliminate the unnecessary work. Put in charge of their own destiny, they got motivated! They developed a great plan and started to get great results.
Over the long run, your career success does not depend on what schools you went to and what degrees you have. That success depends instead on your ability to motivate individuals and teams to get results. Motivation is like a high voltage cable lying at your feet. Use it the wrong way, and you'll get a serious shock. But apply motivation the right way by understanding and using the three factors, plug the cable in, as it were, and it will serve you well in many powerful ways throughout your career.
© 2004 The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Brent Filson is the author of 23 books, many of which deal with leadership. His recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. Sign up for his free leadership ezine and get a free guide, '49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,' at: http://www.actionleadership.com
Now You Know About Leadership motivation!
Three Factors Of Leadership Motivation
by: Brent Filson
Leaders do nothing more important than get results. But you can't get results by yourself. You need others to help you do it. And the best way to have other people get results is not by ordering them but motivating them. Yet many leaders fail to motivate people to achieve results because those leaders misconstrue the concept and applications of motivation. To understand motivation and apply it daily, let's understand its three critical factors. Know these factors and put them into action to greatly enhance your abilities to lead for results.
1. MOTIVATION IS PHYSICAL ACTION.
'Motivation' has common roots with 'motor,' 'momentum,' 'motion,' 'mobile,' etc. all words that denote movement, physical action. An essential feature of motivation is physical action. Motivation isn't about what people think or feel but what they physically do. When motivating people to get results, challenge them to take those actions that will realize those results.
I counsel leaders who must motivate individuals and teams to get results not to deliver presentations but 'leadership talks.' Presentations communicate information. But when you want to motivate people, you must do more than simply communicate information. You must have them believe in you and take action to follow you. A key outcome of every leadership talk must be physical action, physical action that leads to results.
For instance, I worked with the newly appointed director of a large marketing department who wanted the department to achieve sizable increases in the results. However, the employees were a demoralized bunch who had been clocking tons of overtime under her predecessor and were feeling angry that their efforts were not being recognized by senior management.
She could have tried to order them to get the increased results. Many leaders do that. But order leadership founders in today's highly competitive, rapidly changing markets. Organizations are far more competitive when their employees instead of being ordered to go from point A to point B want to go from point A to point B. So I suggested that she take a first step in getting the employees to increase results by motivating those employees to want to increase results. They would 'want to' when they began to believe in her leadership. And the first step in enlisting that belief was for her to give a number of leadership talks to the employees.
One of her first talks that she planned was to the department employees in the company's auditorium.
She told me, 'I want them to know that I appreciate the work they are doing and that I believe that they can get the results I'm asking of them. I want them to feel good about themselves.'
'Believing is not enough,' I said. 'Feeling good is not enough. Motivation must take place. Physical action must take place. Don't give the talk until you know what precise action you are going to have happen.'
She got the idea of having the CEO come into the room after the talk, shake each employee's hand, and tell each how much he appreciated their hard work physical action. She didn't stop there. After the CEO left, she challenged each employee to write down on a piece of paper three specific things that they needed from her to help them get the increases in results and then hand those pieces of paper to her personally physical action.
Mind you, that leadership talk wasn't magic dust sprinkled on the employees to instantly motivate them. (To turn the department around so that it began achieving sizable increases in results, she had to give many leadership talks in the weeks and months ahead.) But it was a beginning. Most importantly, it was the right beginning.
2. MOTIVATION IS DRIVEN BY EMOTION.
Emotion and motion come from the same Latin root meaning 'to move'. When you want to move people to take action, engage their emotions. An act of motivation is an act of emotion. In any strategic management endeavor, you must make sure that the people have a strong emotional commitment to realizing it.
When I explained this to the chief marketing officer of a worldwide services company, he said, 'Now I know why we're not growing! We senior leaders developed our marketing strategy in a bunker! He showed me his 'strategy' document. It was some 40 pages long, single spaced. The points it made were logical, consistent, and comprehensive. It made perfect sense. That was the trouble. It made perfect, intellectual sense to the senior leaders. But it did not make experiential sense to middle management who had to carry it out. They had about as much input into the strategy as the window washers at corporate headquarters. So they sabotaged it in many innovative ways. Only when the middle managers were motivated were emotionally committed to carrying out the strategy did that strategy have a real chance to succeed.
3. MOTIVATION IS NOT WHAT WE DO TO OTHERS. IT'S WHAT OTHERS DO TO THEMSELVES.
The English language does not accurately depict the psychological truth of motivation. The truth is that we cannot motivate anybody to do anything. The people we want to motivate can only motivate themselves. The motivator and the 'motivatee' are always the same person. We as leaders communicate, they motivate. So our 'motivating' others to get results really entails our creating an environment in which they motivate themselves to get those results.
For example: a commercial division leader almost faced a mutiny on his staff when in a planning session, he put next year's goals, numbers much higher than the previous year's, on the overhead. The staff all but had to be scrapped off the ceiling after they went ballistic. 'We busted our tails to get these numbers last year. Now you want us to get much higher numbers? No way!'
He told me. 'We can hit those numbers. I just have to get people motivated!'
I gave him my person!' pitch. I suggested that he create an environment in which they could motivate themselves. So he had them assess what activities got results and what didn't. They discovered that they spent more than 60 percent of their time on work that had nothing to do with getting results. He then had them develop a plan to eliminate the unnecessary work. Put in charge of their own destiny, they got motivated! They developed a great plan and started to get great results.
Over the long run, your career success does not depend on what schools you went to and what degrees you have. That success depends instead on your ability to motivate individuals and teams to get results. Motivation is like a high voltage cable lying at your feet. Use it the wrong way, and you'll get a serious shock. But apply motivation the right way by understanding and using the three factors, plug the cable in, as it were, and it will serve you well in many powerful ways throughout your career.
© 2004 The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Brent Filson is the author of 23 books, many of which deal with leadership. His recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. Sign up for his free leadership ezine and get a free guide, '49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,' at: http://www.actionleadership.com
Now You Know About Leadership motivation!
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