Motivation

Motivation. The driving force from within. Where does it come from? If we could package and sell it, we'd be billionaires.

Do you remember an infomercial from the 90's of an oriental man standing on his yacht advertising his motivational money-making seminars? He says “Come to my sem-ee-naw!” We used to laugh at him, but making lots of money with the least amount of work is a motive that many still buy into.

Imagine if motivation was so easy to access and maintain....people would stick to their New Years resolutions, addictions would be broken, poverty would be lessened, the gospel would reach the whole world, and the possibilities would seem endless.

We each seem to have a motivational bucket with a tiny hole in the bottom. It constantly needs re-filling with new inspiration and reasons to stay motivated. If we stop filling the bucket, we lose all our motivation and end up lazy, poor, miserable and ineffective. Our motivation can come from many sources but it is often derived from seeing the reward ahead of us. The proverbial “carrot” dangling in front of the donkey's nose keeps him moving forward because his eye is on the prize. The carrot is not always material things. The motive of personal fulfilment, happiness, or even the desire to help others can keep us driven. Sometimes fear of embarassment will greatly motivate us. They say the best way to get a clean house fast is to invite someone over. It's amazing how you suddenly have motivation!

Healthy rest can also play a part in staying motivated. My personal motivational bucket seems to re-fill overnight. I work steady days and it seems that my workplace gets the best part of my daily energy. In the morning and mid-day I am most productive, keen-minded and able to make better choices. My ability to think creatively and innovatively is at its best. By the time I get home from work, however, it often feels like I've lost the wind in my motivational sails. At that point the couch and mindless entertainment look more inviting to me than making dinner or cleaning the house. Not wanting to be truly lazy or couch-potato-like, I push myself to do the right thing and transform into the domestic goddess that my family needs. The carrot dangling in front of me is wanting my family to really have the best of me rather than my workplace. It just takes concerted effort sometimes.

Inspiration and motivation are closely connected, but different. Inspiration is like an internal awakening. Motivation puts the awakening into action. How many times have we been inspired by hearing a great sermon or by watching a healthy cooking show, yet we never found the motivation to carry out the message or recipe that so inspired us in the first place? Inspiration is fairly easy to attain, but motivation doesn't just fall in our lap. We have to find it.

If you find yourself lacking in motivation, maybe it's because there's no reward in sight. The fact is there is always a reward, but we can't always see it today, and someone else may be the recipient of the reward, not you. Pray and ask God to help you see a reward that will motivate you. The Bible tells us that some of our rewards will only be received in heaven.

Maybe depression is stealing your groove. Grief and the storms of life can knock the wind out of us and that's understandable. Cut yourself a little slack during these times and nurture yourself. Ask God to heal your wounded spirit and He will. The sun will shine again and motivation usually returns. Sometimes motivation is born out of our hardship, such as a desire to help others suffering in the same way. If depression lingers too long, however, don't hesitate to get some professional help.

Maybe the consequences of not being motivated are not significant enough. After all, who's going to care if I eat that extra twinkie? Nobody looks in my closets so why keep them clean? You may need to take steps to keep yourself accountable and more transparent. That's why groups like Weight Watchers and Alcoholics Anonymous are so successful.

Maybe past failures have stolen your confidence. This is a big one. A good subject for another blog, another day. The point is you can stay where it's safe and comfortable, take no risks and never fail, but why settle for that? Don't be a quitter. Nothing risked, nothing gained. Find some inspiration, act on it, and reward yourself!

Writing this blog has been therapy for me as I continually seek to move from inspiration to motivation. I have to rely on the grace of God every day in this regard. If you have ever been loved, you know what a powerful motivator love can be, and no one has ever loved us greater than Jesus. If nothing else motivates you, discover His love for you and let that be the force that compels you into action.