Motivation is the fuel of life. We never get things done if we do not feel motivated to do it. Sometimes the motivation is external—you do something because you will absolutely get into trouble if you do not do it. Or you do something because it is the ‘cool’ or ‘in’ thing to do, and everyone else is doing it.
Yet the most worthwhile type of motivation is internal—the fire that blazes right within you. Why? Because when the motivation is internal, you will do it the absolute best way you possibly can—you will give it everything you have got. Otherwise all you will give is a half-hearted attempt at the cause.
If you need to do big things, better things, your motivation needs to come from within. And once you blaze that fire inside you, there is no stopping you. You become extremely productive. You automatically give it your best shot.
So how do you develop internal motivation? And can you even develop it?
Let’s answer the second question first because you are interested in improving yourself. You are not content with where you are in life and are ready to actively take measures to improve it. So there is a fire burning inside you. Now all we need to do is shield it and turn it into a strong, sustained, burning, blazing passion.
Now off to the first question. How do we develop internal motivation? Let us discuss some strategies.
Is it the right goal?
What are you seeking motivation for? Is it a worthwhile goal? Is it big enough to challenge you and touch the skies your spirit was made to conquer? Is it really your goal? If you are feeling unmotivated, may be the thing you are trying to do isn’t right for you. May be it is something you are doing for the sake of others and not yourself. May be it is not big enough to make your spirit open up.
Is it aligned with your life’s purpose?
Each person has a life purpose they are here to fulfill. It could be a burning desire that you keep shoveling to the darkest corners of your heart because it doesn’t seem ‘reasonable’. If your life’s deepest wish it to be a doctor, then motivating yourself to be an engineer will probably not be okay with your subconscious.
Why should you do it?
Write down the reasons why you should be doing this. Make sure it makes sense to you, and is not just something that others would approve of, or sounds good.
Why are you not doing it?
If it is indeed the right goal for you, and it is aligned to your life’s purpose, then why are you not doing it? Please take the time to ponder this question. Write down the goal and write down the reasons why you are not doing it. Is it because you are afraid of what others would think? Does the immense world of possibilities and growth and potential scare you? Is your fear undermining your success?
Is it because you are too old or too young? These are all relative terms. If you want to go ahead and do something, there is no rule that says you shouldn’t do it (unless of course, you are a minor and you want to try something that is illegal for minors to do—in which case you probably wouldn’t be seeking motivation here anyway). When you look back at your life from your death bed, will you feel that you have done what you wanted to do? If not, it may be a good idea to do it now. Is it because it seems unreasonable? Every worthwhile goal seems unreasonable at some point or the other, to someone or the other.
If you really have the passion for it, go ahead by all means. That said, don’t give it a half-hearted attempt, scared about failure. If you are going to do something, really do it. Give it your best. Be enthusiastic and happy about it. Work really hard for it. And work really smart for it.
Is it because your family doesn’t approve? Is it because your friends or society will brand you as weird? Is it because your spouse is holding you back? Is it because you are too busy? Is it because you don’t know enough? Is it too risky?
In this case, you need to remember a simple fact. You are responsible for your own life. Any other external factor that you may need to change is your own responsibility. It is your responsibility to associate with those people who will help you grow. It is your responsibility to learn time management skills so you can delegate effectively and make time for your interests. It is your responsibility to utilize your skills effectively. It is your responsibility to research the areas of your passion and know enough about it before you take the plunge.
It is not your responsibility to make everyone like you. It is not your responsibility to sabotage yourself to be with someone who is not good for you. It is not your responsibility to say yes to everything people ask of you. It is not your responsibility to stick to a life path that doesn’t make sense to you and doesn’t let you grow. Assertiveness could be a handy skill in dealing with these circumstances.
Have you exhausted the reasons for not doing it?
If yes, then you probably are already motivated to go ahead and take the plunge. If not, then please go back to the step before. There may be underlying reasons which you haven’t fully explored. If you have a good enough reason for not doing it, and nothing seems to make that reason go away, then don’t do it. It is not the right goal for you, even if the reason is just a ‘gut feeling’. In that case, you need to contemplate your own passions, and find a goal worthy of your time and your life.
If you have done all the steps successfully, then there is a good chance you are already brimming with enthusiasm and are raving to go. You would be willing to work really hard on it—to stay up late, get up really early and work on it. You would be willing to educate yourself about it to the utmost extent. You would be feeling the passion ooze through your veins as you just think about it.
You would be ready to conquer the skies you were made for.
