Dreams On Motivation

I Kept Having Dreams About Motivation and the Following Are Pieces of That Dream:

Motivation is the currency that makes energy worth something. You can have energy and not the motivation to do something useful with it. You can be physically tired, but if you retain a hold on motivation, you will be driven to continue on the path to success. Motivation is oftentimes the difference between victory and defeat. You can see this difference in sports teams who get behind in points; a team without motivation will give a lackluster performance and just try to wait it out until the final buzzer sounds. A team WITH motivation will use the points deficit as fuel to increase their desire to win, and that is where you see many of the fantastic plays, moves, tricks and exceptional feats of athleticism as well as the most amazing comebacks in sports history.

Motivation is a driver and is related to personal drive. Collectively, it is called esprit de corps. Sometimes we marvel at people we hear about, people we see or watch on television; wondering how they can get up time after time after seemingly being defeated. How do they continue to have the motivation time after time to come back after setbacks? Where does that motivation come from?
In my occupation, I run into people who aren't very good at life.I have seen them try something once and then give up because it didn't work. Much of the time, if they would have done something just a little bit different, it would have worked. Yet it didn't work the first time, so they give up. Motivation after failure must be cultivated and nurtured. It must be a personality trait that is engrained deeply; the more it's engrained, the more trying you will see after failure.



To be motivated after failure requires a person to have the belief they will eventually succeed. Motivation, in the beginning, comes from a belief that one will succeed at the task or sustained activity they are motivated to perform. I think there are a lot of people out there that have a lot of talent, but they do not have enough motivation to cultivate it into amazing. I see these talented people run into a little hardship in developing their talent and then stop right there, refusing to go forward because the going is rough. Are you one of these talented people who are averse to difficulties or adversity? Maybe you should work at cultivating motivation, if this is the case. You may find that with some degree of perseverance, you can accomplish some of your dreams.

We all have motivation in one form or another. Maslow's Holistic-Dynamic Theory has outlined that our motivations start out at very basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing to the most complex platforms such as the need to create a masterpiece BECAUSE you have it in your power to do so, or the need to influence an entire generation because you have the requisite skills and knowledge. Part of getting to higher-level needs is making sure your lower needs are met, but ever-higher needs are harder to be motivated to attain.

Being motivated can be a habit that is developed. It requires discipline and a strong desire to succeed. Motivation is oftentimes contagious. Who doesn't like to be around or work with motivated people. Build motivation by strengthening your character; incorporating a can-do, indomitable attitude into your identity. Find things in your background, heritage or experiences that can develop your motivation to succeed. Lastly, and this may seem obvious, but let yourself be motivated.

Thanks for tuning in to today's post. Be motivated and do good.

I Pulled an MBA All-Nighter!

10/17/13

I am done with my stupid mini-flu. Boy, that really took a lot out of me; made me weak as a kitten and brought me low. I went from Powerful McPowerfulson to zero energy, zero stamina. When you or I or anyone is sick, it's easy to get down mentally as well as physically and I have to be honest in saying that I did get down psychologically. I did realize, however, it would pass and when I recovered, I would have to rebuild to the level of power and stamina that I held for most of the summer.

During my business financial management class from mid-October to mid-November, I routinely pulled all-nighters on assignments because late at night and in the wee hours of the morning was the only time I could get into deep, focus, concentration mode which I would need to figure out complex financial formulas and have an understanding of how aspects of finance functioned.

All-nighters are not fun, but sometimes they are necessary to get the job done. I am highly motivated in regards to getting my Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) because it is going to be a big step in my career and my ticket to an even better life. What if I mess up in a class and fail or get a crumby grade? I can always retake a class if I need to. It IS a setback, but not the end of the world. Life isn't perfect and most people don't always get the grades they want. So many people seem to have an all or nothing mentality; but much of life doesn't work like that. Sometimes you have to keep chipping at a project with, at times, imperfect progress.

Please, readers: do not give up when you encounter great adversity, but on the other side of that coin, do not persist when your efforts are evidently futile. You may need to find a different way in doing something. If you know that you are intended to do a certain thing, yet you are sailing towards a storm on your way to do it; then sail right through the storm and accomplish that thing you are bound, set and intended to do. Be indomitable. When you are hit hard by the storms and trials of life and don't take the easy way out, you will come out the better for it. Your character will be built stronger for it.

And when you find that sweet, sweet solace when all is at peace, there is nothing important to do and you can relax; take the opportunity to rest on your laurels just briefly before going on to slay the next giant. If you stay lying on one spot for too long, you create an indentation or rut, rather and it make get you stuck in life. That is why I tell you to not rest on your laurels for too long. Keep learning, keep being driven, find new territory to conquer, but stop once in a while to rest.

Thank you all for reading my blog article today and I pray it inspires or helps you somehow. I hope you find peace and wisdom this Christmas season; remember, God owns peace and wisdom and He will give freely to those who truly seek him.

Any Questions?

How Do You Explain Personal Drive?

I'm sure we all know that one person who seems ridiculously tenacious and has an extraordinary amount of motivation? These people often refuse to accept defeat and keep trying until their energy is totally spent or they prevail. When they succeed, people usually agree that this person very much deserves the success due to their hard work and determination. How do you explain the drive that propel these people towards their goals?

I think it has a lot to do with the way these driven people see themselves and how they believe others see them. It also may have something to do with the way they were raised. Out of these factors, I believe the way driven people see themselves is the most powerful in learning about what makes them tick.



If a person sees themselves as capable, powerful, intelligent, stalwart and steadfast then it follows they will be more driven. Often these people adopt the trait of being a hard worker and go-getter into their personal identity and it does something to them that leaves observers looking on in admiration: a driven person who does not give up without a fight.

On the other end of the spectrum, people who see themselves as unable, weak, lacking and easily overwhelmed will tend to give up without giving it much of a try. These are the people who walk during a time when they should run and their faces aren't even red. They felt a little burn and windedness so they gave up and started walking. They don't like to feel 'uncomfortable.'

These same 'weak' people don't adapt to change well, either, while the driven and more motivated people are more open and ready for change. I would like to draw upon the wisdom of Drs. Tim Clinton and George Ohlschlager and point out that change in and of itself should not be the goal because human beings are fallible and can direct change towards evil or ineffectual ends. However, change in life is inevitable and being a driven person who adapts well to change is preferable to being someone who goes through change painfully and pitifully.

Being driven and motivated enables a person to be ready and more available for effective, positive change that will carry them higher. At this point, I want to ask you a couple of questions:

1. Who do you see yourself as?

2. When you look in the mirror, do you see a determined winner looking back or a deflated wiener

 

3. Who do you want to be?

Be honest when you take an inventory of yourself, but stay positive and remember that you can always change negative traits to positive ones. One saying I always keep in mind when I contemplate self improvement is:

"The difference between try and triumph is just a little 'umph'."

I want to encourage you to see yourself as someone who can succeed and one who has an indomitable personal drive. This is one of the only instances where the expression "Seeing is believing" definitely applies. Don't give yourself the option of failure. See yourself succeeding.


 Don't push it too far to where it becomes stubbornness where you're running into a brick wall repeatedly. Remember that brick wall in I Can and I Will? Improvise and adapt in ever-changing circumstances. If one route doesn't work, don't get fixated on that route that doesn't work, find the one that does work. Let the attempts that don't work roll off you like water off a duck's back.

If you find undesirable traits in your self-inventory, change them. Don't make excuses. Weak people are full of excuses as to why they can't. Driven people tell their success stories and help others to succeed. I ask again, who do you want to be?

September 11th: Even Bad Events Can Motivate and Inspire

It has been 12 years since that infamous series of terrorist acts were perpetrated on American soil.Two of the largest buildings in New York City were hit by commercial airliners piloted by terrorists as well as the United States Pentagon. The passengers of another commercial flight chose to fight back against the terrorist hijackers and caused the plane to crash in a Pennsylvania field rather than hit its intended target.

These blatant attacks on the citizens the of the United States caused a well of righteous indignation to arise in the hearts of many Americans, motivating them to action and inspiring them to heroic feats. In the midst of crisis, there was a call for heroes, and America answered that call. Patriotism at that time reached a high level and America seemed united.

Flash forward 12 years and the United States is in a state of disunity. Instead of committing to the fight against terrorism, a path to appeasement seems to be the popular way these days. Instead of facing evil and striving to prevail against it, we try to rationalize it and ask ourselves why these people want to kill us. The culture of heroism and patriotism that came with September 11th, 2001 has faded. I know that many Americans enlisted or sought commissions in the branches of the United States military following the attacks of 9/11/01 just to serve their fellow countrymen after what happened on that day.

I remember the moment I heard about the attacks on September 11th, 2001. It was the day after my 18th birthday and I was on my way to morning soccer practice when the news came over the radio. I had just completed my initial entry enlistment paperwork to go into the U.S. Marine Corps on July 31st, 2001, so I knew I would be involved in armed conflict one way or the other. Eventually, I would be deployed to Iraq four times. The fact that I was in New York City two days before the planes hit the towers gave me a moment of pause to be thankful I was not on one of those planes, or even that I was not stranded in New York City in the no-flight status days after the attack.

Listening to all the stories of people who acted on 9/11/01, it is apparent that these people were caught in an emergency; a dire situation. In facing this catastrophe, they performed admirably and showed their true character: the fire fighters and other emergency workers who rushed into the towers to save as many as they could before they came crashing down. Many of these gave their lives to save others. To those men and women on this day of remembrance, I salute you.

Sometimes disasters can cause ordinary people to rise up and become heroes. They are motivated by negative events to act; they are inspired to feats of greatness in response to the bad thing that has happened. This is not to say the disastrous event itself was good, but that the people's actions who responded bravely in response to the event were inspired and motivated not to let evil go unanswered.

If you were put in an emergency situation, how would you respond? Does your legacy mean more to you than self-preservation? Would you sacrifice your safety to save others?

Where were you on September 11th, 2001? What were your first thoughts when you heard of the attack on the United States? If you are not an American citizen, how did citizens of other countries view 9/11/2001 and the events that occurred therein?

There are many variations of this saying, but my favorite is "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it." This courage was needed and delivered by the heroes of 9/11.

Will you cower in fear in the face of evil acts, or will you fight back? The choice is yours.

Allocating Your Resources

You may already be aware of this, but your resources extend to more than just money. Resources also include time, energy, ideas, motivation, zeal and land, to name a few. These different resources have different values for people, according to their socioeconomic status or rather, their station in life. To the average teenager during summer break, time is lower in value relative to money. Why? Because their perception is usually that they have a lot of time, but not a lot of money. This is one reason why so many teenagers work at minimum wage jobs during the summer---because their time is not occupied by school, giving an abundance of time; but in order to pay for such things as gas, insurance, dates, movies, snacks, make-up, you name it, they must work a job to pay for the things they want/need. Thus, working a minimum wage job during summer break increases the value of their free time because they will have the money to do the things they want during that free time.

For an executive who makes over $1.2 million a year, time may have more value relative to monetary resources. Their lives are filled with board meetings, teleconferences and constant crisis situations that pop up and seem to keep them at work late every day. They may be willing to sacrifice money for the sake of spending more time with family or even more time doing things they enjoy.

Some people think they have boundless energy, but the cold fact of it is that energy is a resource which is also limited. You only have so much energy in a day. People who are in-shape and put healthy things into their bodies will generally have more energy than those who are obese and eat unhealthy foods. I have seen people spend the majority of their energy in the day too soon and don't have energy enough for more meaningful activities later on in the day. It would benefit people to spend their energy wisely.

How much is an idea worth? Idea worth is often measured in the amount of time or money you can save in implementing a particular idea. Some people make ridiculous amounts of money with their ideas. How much are your ideas worth? This is an important question to ponder from time to time.

Motivation is a valuable resources because it has to do with one's personal drive. Your level of motivation depends on my factors; one of them being the value of the carrot in front of you. I use the term 'carrot' for a reward that someone is motivated by to work towards. Motivation also depends on the power of a person's drive. What motivates you? How powerful is your drive? How can you become more motivated?

In this picture, I was motivated to do some pull-ups

Zeal has to do with something one believes in very strongly and cannot contain their excitement about. I remember times of zeal in my life and it is exhilarating. Zeal can be someone's strong belief and excitement about their cause or spiritual beliefs and can also have to do with organizational zeal, which I like to refer to as esprit de corps. Zeal makes motivation stronger, because zeal goes deeper than just motivation.

The Marine Corps is one organization whose members have a lot of esprit de corps. The leadership of this organization fosters this esprit de corps and translates it into motivation for Marines to train hard, work hard and fight heroically.

Land, like money, is a tangible resource. Back when my ancestors lived in Wisconsin, they referred to themselves as 'land poor'. They had a ton of land, but not the money to work it. They decided to sell their land and move out west nearly a hundred years ago where they eventually became more prosperous. In the city where lots are generally smaller, a person's yard has more value per square foot because their space is limited. In the backyard, they have to choose between getting the kids a trampoline or a swing-set while also making enough room for their fire pit and lawn chairs. Out in the country where someone owns, say, seven acres, their space is not at such a premium and they will have plenty of room to add virtually whatever they want. Are you maximizing the space you have to ensure you get the most enjoyment from the land you live on?

I have written on this topic to show my readers that resources are limited, and that you should allocate your resources where they can do the most good. It may benefit you to plan your day for better use of resources. Some people are averse to this because they think it takes the serendipity and spontaneous joys out of their day, when in fact it might allow them the time and resources to have more moments of spontaneous fun or enjoyment. How can you optimize the use of your limited resources? What are some ways you can conserve or increase your resources? I have found that staying healthy is a force multiplier of resources.
 

I Can and I Will!

Me today, at a lean 222 lbs.

I have made great progress in recent months; going from an unhealthy lifestyle to a healthy one. On May 4th, 2013 I started my Isagenix health and fitness program and have seen amazing results since then. It is truly some of the best stuff you can put into your body. I woke up this morning and weighed myself and the scale said I weighed 222 pounds! So from May 4th, 2013 to August 14th, 2013 I lost 44 pounds.

Before Isagenix, I was quite rotund

I look and feel more physically fit than I have in a long time. The last time I weighed 222 pounds was in November, 2010 when I was still technically active duty Marine Corps, but on terminal leave. It is so exciting to see my progress and it feels like every day is a fitness adventure, even though some days are harder than others.

It's days like these: seeing results and feeling good, that give me motivation enough to make it through the hard days when my motivation is ebbing. Through the hard times, I keep telling myself "I can and I will accomplish my goals!" You must steel your resolve to succeed through the hard times, even when you feel like you want to give up and quit. Oftentimes your feelings cannot be trusted, but if you are clever, you can use your feelings to propel you forward. Don't listen to the side of you that says 'I can't.' Tell yourself  'I can and I will!'

"I will work hard to get that promotion at work!"

"I will lose thirty pounds!"

"I will complete my degree!

"I will exceed my sales quotas!"

"I will write a bestseller!"

"I will do 1,000 push-ups consecutively!"

"I will become a manager in my company!"

----And the list goes on.

Don't get quit because what you're trying isn't working; try it a different way. For example, trying to knock down a brick wall by running into it repeatedly probably won't work and will most likely end up with you getting injured. In this scenario, a sledge hammer strategy would be much more effective.

 

There's always hope and there's always another way you can try.  Don't look at it as a failure when you are at first unable to do something; instead look at it as a learning experience and stepping stone to success. People get so preoccupied with beating themselves up over failures that they become afraid to try again. Don't live your life in fear of failure: try, stumble, learn and succeed. Here is a quote from President Theodore Roosevelt that is related to this topic. I love this quote about the "Man in the arena."

What is something you have been striving for? Maybe a better question would be: What should you be striving for? Go for it. Go for the gold. Take it to the max. Improvise, adapt and overcome. If you apply yourself and don't give up, you can and you will!

Be Inspired

What inspires you? Is it watching a live sporting event? Is it waking up early in the morning to drink your coffee and watching as the sun rises in the eastern sky? Is it reading an interesting book? Is it spending time with others in spiritual fellowship? Is it experiencing the wonder of God's creation?

What do you do when you're inspired? Do you go to work happier? Are you able to get along with people better? Do you become more creative? Do you enjoy life more? For me, all of the above are true.

Inspiration is one of the keys that unlocks the doors to creativity and contentedness. This is why the title of my post is 'Be Inspired'. I want my readers to make a list of things that inspire them and try to do or experience those things more often. Make an effort to be inspired at least once every day, if not more frequently.

When I am inspired, it not only helps me work better, be more creative, keeps me zealous and makes me enjoy life more; but it also gives me hope. Hope and inspiration are strong motivators towards a greater degree of success and happiness. If you find inspiration, you will likely find hope.

Here are some things that inspire me, big time:

1. Experiencing the Oregon Coast and spending time at the beach

At the beach in Lincoln City, Oregon

2. Going on a hike, deeply breathing in the fresh air

3. Reading an awesome book

4. Writing

5. Watching a good movie

6. Listening to music I love

7. Driving on the highway in my 1999 Ford Mustang with the windows down on a hot day

8. Having a good exercise session

9. Traveling to exotic locations

10. Performing hard physical labor on my parents' acreage.

11. Having special family time with my wife and kids

12. Remembering good memories from long ago

13. Having camaraderie with my loved ones and friends

14. Winning

My club team won the President's Cup up in Portland

15. The early morning sunshine when the day is young and full of promise

16. Spending time with God and His people


Sometimes being inspired just falls into your lap, but other times you have to make a conscious effort to be inspired. Don't settle for a humdrum, drab existence of seldom being inspired. Be inspired daily! Being inspired will help you do your best in everything you do. Leave some comments: What does being inspired look like to you? How does it feel when you are inspired?

Need Motivation?

What motivates us? In some respect, different things motivate different people. However, there are some common motivators that most people can agree motivate them such as monetary rewards, respect, love, prestige/pride, esprit de corps, good health, physical appearance, faith or closely-held beliefs. This is, by no means, a comprehensive list, but it’s a good start in order to get my readers thinking about things that motivate. What motivates you? To create a correlation between today’s blog post and and my previous one, I would like to point out that motivation is an exceedingly important factor in accomplishing one’s goals. In order to continue working towards a goal, continued motivation is of the utmost importance. For example, have you ever started on a project or endeavor of some sort with a ton of excitement and motivation, only to have that zeal fizzle out gradually over the next couple of months? I know I have, for sure!

    

What causes a loss of motivation? Sit back readers, and I will tell you over the next few paragraphs. Identifying what kills motivation will help you to avoid those pitfalls and hopefully be more successful in accomplishing your goals.

1. Fatigue will kill your motivation faster than you can imagine. You not only need to pace yourself, but you need to ensure you have enough energy on a daily basis. Get enough rest at night and eat nutritious food. Do not spread yourself too thin because this leads to both fatigue and burnout. Strive to live a balanced life. 

2.  Another thing that destroys motivation is a lack of progress or a lack of results. Are you finding you're not making the progress you think you should? Are things moving too slowly? This might be a good time to reevaluate your goals. Are they specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound? Sometimes goals change or your plans for achieving goals change. That's okay! Make new goals, or find new paths to accomplish your goals! You may also need to adjust the time frame to accomplish your goals. Be resilient and make your goals resilient and adaptable, also. This is really where a life coach would be convenient, but a good friend who is invested in you can be a viable second choice. Make sure you are not doing things that sabotage your own progress. If you are finding it difficult to meet benchmarks or make sufficient progress, you may want to try a new venture. Take an inventory of your talents and what you like/dislike and decide what to do in light of your progress and ability/desire to continue in that direction.

3. Some people may not like me for saying this, but alcohol and drugs can really mess with your motivation. If you are trying to accomplish goals, stay sober. Abuse of alcohol and use of illicit drugs can easily become an addiction, which then moves that substance to the center of your life and does not leave enough room to effectively stay motivated to accomplish your goals. At this point, your motivation is to feed your addiction, not to get ahead in life or do something else productive. If you're drinking everyday, you're drinking too much. Keep alcohol use to one day a week and have a plan to be safe beforehand; do not drink and drive or allow yourself to be in situations where you are likely to do something stupid. If you're involved in illicit substances, you may need to see an addictions counselor to begin treatment. Substance addiction is powerful, and people ensnared by it don't realize the danger until it is too late. In addition to this, a person addicted to substances is not a good candidate for life coaching because their ability to think and make decisions on a daily basis is compromised. When it comes to alcohol, moderation is key. If you have friends and family members telling you repeatedly that you drink too much, you might want to take a yearlong break from alcohol or even stop completely. To an addicted drinker, long-term, sustained sobriety seems anathema.

4. If you want to keep your motivation up, stay away from 'Debbie Downers;' people who are negative all of the time and especially who put you down or crush your ideas. If you're around negative people all of the time, it WILL wear on you. Limit your time with negative people, and you may want to let them know that their negativity is really bummin' you out. Being honest and direct is the best service you can do for negative people; enough negative feedback about their negativity and they will be motivated to change. Something valuable I learned in the Biblical Leadership and Ethics class at Corban University while pursuing my MBA is to emphasize the positive and minimize or redirect the negative. I like being around people who do this, and I think most people do as well. Being around positive people will bring you up, and being around negative people will bring you down. Have you ever heard the old saying "Misery loves company"? People who are miserable like to make other people miserable, using them to feel better about themselves because they are then not the only one who is miserable. Don't be used by a negative person.

5. Make an effort to not be negative, yourself. Stay positive! Adopt a good attitude about life every morning you wake up. I find that when I wake up and do a quick workout and drink one of my Isagenix shakes, it puts me in a position to start the day right and continue in that positive direction. Make a decision to do everything in your power to have a good day. When you're staying positive, it's much easier to be motivated. Do not let your own negativity rear its ugly head. You can do a lot better in life by staying positive and having a good attitude.

6. Do not isolate. Stay connected to people who are motivated by the same or similar things as you are. If you're an aspiring author, join a writer's group. If you're an up and coming entrepreneur, associate yourself with a group of people who are heading in that direction. If you are an athlete, make friends and associates who are interested in fitness. Your combined excitement and positivity about your shared interests/goals is a force multiplier for your motivation and theirs, also.

I could write volumes and volumes about motivation. I am almost certain I will continue writing about motivation in this blog because it is the key to accomplishment. However, for now I must bid you adieu. It has taken me several days to complete this post because I have been busy having fun on my vacation.

My secret identity has been compromised.