Category Archives: Motivation

Making Plans

Life, Interrupted

20 August 2012

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Even the best of intentions don’t always go as planned.

You can spend your entire life preparing for tomorrow only to have those plans derailed in an instant, forever changing (or forcing you to change) the direction of your life; an unplanned pregnancy puts your goals for the future on hold; a death in the family reminds you that life is short … too short to languish in a relationship with a partner who criticizes your every move; a job loss leaves you scrambling to make ends meet; or a diagnosis stamps an expiration date on your life.

How can you persevere and persist during these moments of difficulty?

Accept the things you cannot change. Recognize reality for what it is, not what you wish it were. Don’t continue ignoring your situation … quit acting like everything will be okay. Stop fighting against the truth and embrace reality so you can move your life forward. If you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness, don’t pretend your time here is limitless. Fight like hell for a cure, and embrace what time you have left.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves.” ~ V. Frankl

Take a wider look. It’s easy to be consumed by the details of the moment. Consider your situation in the context of a broader perspective. Our struggles are temporary; time will afford us an opportunity to see things more clearly. The moment we learn that someone close to us has died, our world falls to pieces. As time goes on, we’re more able to accept that death is as much a part of life as is birth; that it’s something we’ll each face one day.

Change your thinking. If you can’t change something, change the way you think about it. Rather than focusing on the worst that could happen, think of the best that might come. Instead of how much you’ve yet to do, consider how far you’ve come.

“A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.” ~ Gandhi

Learn your lesson. These situations are an opporunity to gain perspective and will change your outlook on life. If you’ve lost your job, you might come to realize money isn’t everything. Walking away from an emotionally void relationship will make you appreciate exactly how capable you really are. Don’t let an opportunity for growth slip by as you distance yourself from these periods of your life. Pause to reflect on the lessons you’ve learned through these experiences.

Find Support. Surround yourself with positive, supportive people.

“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” ~ J. Rohn

Choose wisely.

Despite the feeling of familiarity, your life will never be the same. Your only choice is to move forward into this strange new world to build your future upon a new foundation; one of fresh perspective, a different understanding, and a revitalized sense of purpose.

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Motivating Yourself When You’ve Lost Your Motivation

16 August 2012

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No matter how passionate you are about something, there’ll be times when you don’t have the motivation to keep pushing forward.

This usually happens when we need to be motivated the most; the moments when we feel like we’ll never reach our goals because they’re too distant or difficult. Or the times when we’ve failed (again!) and it doesn’t seem to make much sense to try one more time. The times when we wonder if our goals are worth the effort and we’re considering just giving up.

How can we push through these moments stronger than ever? How can we motivate ourselves when we’ve lost our motivation?

Take a break. When you’re focusing all your energy and attention on achieving a goal, it’s easy to burn out. It’s just as important to enjoy your life (flaws and all) as it is to be focused on creating a better one. Take a break from what you’re working on to give your mind and body time to recharge.

Remember why. Sometimes in the pursuit of our goals, we lose sight of the reason we began chasing them in the first place. Try to remember what it is you want by accomplishing your goal. Is it freedom? Do you want to be your own boss? Maybe you want more time with your family. Whatever the reason, remind yourself from time to time why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Just start. If you’re having trouble finding the enthusiasm to get started, start without it. Don’t wait to be inspired to take action … act, and you’ll be inspired.

“All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.” ~ Chuck Close

Share your goals. Talk about what you’re doing in your life with anyone who will listen, then surround yourself with people who believe in you and who support your goals.  Their encouragement will help you overcome your fears and doubts (and there will be times when you’re afraid and unsure. If there aren’t, you’re not thinking big enough.)

Visual reminders. Post reminders of your goals (notes and photos) in places where you’ll see them often (at your desk or on the bathroom mirror.) Having a visual reminder will help keep you focused (literally) on your goal.

Quick wins. A great way to gain and maintain your motivation is by finding ways of giving yourself quick wins; small milestones that take you another step closer to success. The more quick wins you have the more motivated you’ll be to continue pursuing your goals.

What do you do to motivate yourself when you’ve lost your motivation?

It’s time to stop asking for permission to live our lives, and it’s time to stop following someone else’s set of rules.

Independence, “The Rules,” and Asking for Permission

2 July 2012

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As Independence Day approaches, Chris Guillebeau asked his Twitter followers “What does independence mean to you?”

For some people, independence means having enough money to quit their job to travel around the world, while for others it’s about having a reliable source of income and a couple weeks of vacation each year. By definition, independence is “freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.”

Independence, for me, means not having to ask for permission to live my life. It’s not always easy.

The vast majority of people (myself included) are required to operate within a certain framework of rules on a daily basis. At work, there are procedures that must be followed and policies to guide our decisions. “The Rules” exist to create an environment of equality, to dictate a standard for quality, and to maintain a certain level of productivity. The Rules serve a purpose.

But the problem with rules is that they’re rules. And because “rules are rules,” the people “in charge” aren’t able to consider the needs of employees on an individual basis. A common refrain from management is “If I make an exception for you, I’d have to make an exception for everyone.” This argument is a logical fallacy (known as the Slippery Slope), but it’s often reason enough to have our needs brushed aside and ignored. Our lives are at the mercy of The Rules.

 If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission.

We’ve grown accustomed to being told what to do. For years we’ve let other people dictate our lives. We’ve been taught to follow The Rules and ask for permission. We’ve had to cancel plans to work late, missed events because we had deadlines to meet, and our entire lives are scheduled around our work schedules.

What a bunch of shit!

It’s time to stop asking for permission to live our lives, and it’s time to stop following someone else’s set of rules. It’s time we stop letting our lives be influenced by imaginary obstacles…obstacles which are little more than lame excuses we use to convince ourselves that we can’t have the life we want and are the reason we believe we have to play by the rules: money, time, security.

Here’s the truth:

You’re only limited by your own choices, and the only rules you have to follow are the ones you want to follow. You’re the only person whose permission you need to ask for. You’ve created this life, and only you have the power to change it. If you’re sick of playing by someone else’s rules, it’s time to stand up for yourself.

Demand change.

At work. From your boss. From yourself. At home. From your spouse. From your children.

It’s your life! Stop asking other people for permission to live it!