Motivation Part 2...Just what keeps me going..

The Mind Game of Motivation 

The concept of motivation isn’t a physical one. You can’t touch motivation as if it were an object to attain. Motivation resembles an emotion, or a collection of them that stimulate you to perform an action.  

It’s an aspect of your personality that only you can control.  And that’s why each person can have different motivators and perspectives on what encourages them to do something.   

Since emotions stimulate your motivation, dealing with your motivators can be sensitive. When motivation comes because of an immediate, sudden change or reaction in life, your emotional response could be blurred to a wrong perspective.  

If your motivator took time to develop due to reasoning and thoughtful inquisition, you may have a stronger grip and understanding of your motivator. As a result, this can yield a 

stronger and more sensible approach to your newly elated emotions.  

Where Does Motivation Come From 

As mentioned above, motivation isn’t a physical thing. It’s easiest to compare to your emotions since they are the main benefactors of your motivation. Depending on how you feel about a certain situation makes the motivation vary from occasion and person.  

In other words, motivation comes from the mind. This is one of the main reasons you can either find it really easy or really hard to motivate yourself. But for most, motivation doesn’t come easy, it’s like a habit and habits are hard to shake off.  

When changing anything about yourself, you’ll find that your mentality is the blocking factor to turning into a newer person. If you believe that you deserve the best of the best, then it’ll be harder to convince or motivate you to do something lower than expectations below yours.  

If you’re more adaptable, then finding motivators may be slightly easier as an open mind finds opportunity more often.  

Habits like procrastination, keeping everything neat, or self consciousness are natural habits people may have with or without realising. It’s things like these that can affect what motivates you.  

If you procrastinate, then deadlines are probably the only things standing in your way to get something done, and only at the last second. Being neat and orderly could mean that your motivation remains avoiding disaster. Self-consciousness may motivate you to try and look your best on a daily basis, work out, and appear prestigious to everyone.  

But nobody is born a motivated person. As you develop and become your individual persona, you also develop your perseverance, initiative and sense of responsibility. Since all of these qualities combine to make your motivation, you also have your own motivator chanting in the back of your mind.  

It may be a strong, supportive voice booming in your thoughts all the time that helps you aim for the highest goals you wish to achieve. It could also be a quiet whistle that likes to ask you feebly ‘what if’ or ‘why not?’ once in a while. It may always be there or come along once in a while. It all depends.  

Essentially, motivation is a mind game, and the only way to control your motivation is to understand your personality. What makes you, you? And answer a question like what’s your view on your own life?

Respective View on Life  

Motivation depends on you, an idea now well established. So what is it about yourself that motivates you? You may not know it, but your whole life up to this moment is built on your motivation. 

Are you someone who does something because you find it personally rewarding? Or is it because you wish to earn the praise of others?  

If you’re the first type, then you’re driven by intrinsic motivation. When something from the inside drives you, you end up doing things that you enjoy. That also means that you’re less likely to be distracted, you’ll feel greater satisfaction in your achievements and be driven by a greater sense of purpose. 

Alternately, if you’re pushed by the urge to succeed to gain a specific award or steer clear of a punishment, then your motivation is coming from an external source. This is called extrinsic motivation and can be a highly effective motivator on its own.  

What do you desire in life? Is it self-recognition or a grand income? This will determine whether you’re the kind of person who’d be motivated by passion and self-discovery or business dealings aimed on profiting.  

For instance, a pet shop owner could be someone passionate about animals, or has experience with them and helps them find families.  

A manager, on the other hand, is someone who finds authority a motivator to keep them in charge and in order. They like the higher position in an organisation and are capable of taking the heat of sitting on the hot seat.  

Others may scare from handling animals or buckle under the pressure of authority, afraid they won’t be able to handle it. So while one person lives to be a leader, someone else might enjoy sitting at a safer distance from the chaos. 

Where you see yourself is also vital to your motivational strength. Do you feel confident in your own skills or you think they aren’t up to par with others? Do the opinions of others really matter or are you fine turning some heads? Are you fine with what the world has to offer or are you ready to hunt down what you feel you deserve? All these factor into what truly motivates you.

Your Greatest Enemy  

If you answer these questions, you’ll come to realise the only thing standing in your way, is yourself. Nobody can stop you entirely from being where you need to be or even want to be. The only person you have to conquer is yourself. 

It’s hard to change yourself from your material habits to your personality. While others may say you can do something and invoke you to try new things, perhaps it’s your own thoughts holding you back.  

Feeling insecure about yourself is the main reason why most people don’t listen to motivation when doing something new. Self-doubt keeps you from committing yourself to brighter and unfamiliar endeavours. If you don’t feel good about yourself, how are you going to feel good about anything else? 

Another issue that can often quarrel with motivating yourself to do new things would be ignorance and pride. Some people refuse to mentally open up to new experiences or ideas, which means that motivation doesn’t encourage them to discover new opportunities but rather stick to their own game.  

Once again, motivation is something each individual has, and the idea is that motivation differs from each person based on personal wants and needs.  

So while a person believes that going to the beach is a fun idea and would try to go to the beach in their free time, another might see it as a nuisance to go out and rather motivate themselves to stay at home and enjoy a quiet day indoors.  


What can make you change yourself is entirely up to you.

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Your Crucial 2019 Resolutions...What already ?

A different Approach

I wonder if you stuck to your 2018 New Year resolutions? Be honest with yourself! I know I didn't....well not all of them.

Instead of the usual resolutions all of us draw upon each new year, why not think about a different way and concentrate on what truly matters, which is the state of mind that is holding you back from materialising, long lasting improvements in your life?

As opposed to concentrating on individual activities this year, such as "join gym, lose weight, stop eating chocolate", etc, attempt an approach of enhancing your overall Health and total Wellness. In essence take a Holistic Approach to becoming a better you, instead of making a list of ten things you want to change about yourself this year, why not commit to real change that has the possibility to last beyond the first few months of the year?

By focusing on the process of change, rather than solely the outcome, your resolutions could really make a difference this year in your overall happiness and satisfaction.

With a reported recent downward trend in overall wellness among women in the US, perhaps it is time to return to basics this year with your resolutions? Instead of opting for the same goals you make every year, make this new year the year of living happier. Here are the most important resolutions you can make this year to help you achieve just that.

Focus on Your Mental Health

When you change your focus to working on your mental health, you can improve not only your mind and soul but also your body. Your mental health is what drives your ability to achieve physical health, so focusing on it versus other aspects of fitness or diet could lead to more significant improvements in all areas of your life.

Your mental health includes how you deal with and process emotions, how you handle stress, how resilient you are to changes or obstacles, and your overall outlook and mindset. Focus on this critical aspect of wellness, and you will enjoy significant returns in all areas of your life.

Become Better Connected

Make a commitment this year to spending more time with friends and family. Being in the company of trusted others can improve your mental health and can lower your stress, too.

Schedule regular time each week to spend with loved ones, stay in contact with those who live far away, and renew efforts to remain connected to those who have been neglected recently. Real-life connection is preferred to online messages, so pick up the phone or make a date to see your friends soon.

Be More Mindful

When you are mindful, you are living in the moment. You are aware of what you are feeling, how the environment and others are affecting you, and you can embrace the experiences and opportunities as you live them. Mindfulness teaches you to let go of anxiety about the unknown future as well as anger or sadness about the past, both of which can significantly impact your mental and emotional well-being.

Get Outside More

A commitment to spending more time outside can improve your mental, emotional, and physical health in many ways. Spending time in nature reduces stress, helps you sleep better, enhances your immune system, and can be a wonderful place to get more exercise. Enjoy your local community parks, green spaces, and walking paths as much as you can this new year to improve your wellness in many areas.

Commit to Self-Care

If you make no other resolution this year, promise yourself that you will prioritize your self-care in 2019. Taking time for yourself is crucial, and this simple promise can enhance your well-being. Self-care can include everything from meditation to your beauty regimen. It’s up to you to determine what you need to feel your best.

2019 - A month and a half into our Resolutions. Going well?

New Years Resolutions...progress report.

Wow, 21st of February in the year two thousand and nineteen, sat here in my pants wondering what happened to the absolute 100% commitment I gave to becoming a better me, richer me, slimmer me.

New Years Resolutions... Hmmptf... I should be well on my way to that million pound income, lighter than 100 kg on the bathroom scales and calmer in my mind than the Dali Lama after a chamomile tea.

Something is not adding up. ?

If I am perfectly honest (with myself) I probably failed before I had even started because I lacked one vital piece in the jigsaw puzzle. Effective Motivation.!

Going by the dictionary definition, Motivation is defined as so; 

‘a reason or set of reasons to accomplish something or behave in a particular manner’. 

It’s a form of driving force we all have, which pushes its own pedal when it sees opportunity.  

For instance, when you see an ad for a new job opening and you happen to be looking for something new or different, doesn’t the voice in the back of your mind say, ‘why not?’ And even if you’re not looking for something new or different, motivation may just prompt you to ask that very same question in any case.  

To state it simply, motivation becomes the thriving ambition to have something accomplished in life. This motivation can help you figure out problems when you’re stuck, get over overwhelming emotions, and help you aim for new heights.  

We all have ambitions, dreams, and aspirations and the more you allow your motivation to inspire you, the more you can get done.  


 It can help you overcome habits as well. Things like drinking and smoking can stop when you’re motivated to see the end of it. Otherwise, it’s hard to dedicate to something if you do it reluctantly.  

However, with motivation, you are driven by a feeling of willingness and inspiration that makes you a lot more ready to take action for or against yourself.  

  

Why you need motivation  ?

There’s little to debate that motivation is the key to progress. Everyone must develop their own passions in order to evolve in life. When you want to grow or improve yourself, you have to try new things. Without doing so, you won’t achieve things such as self recognition and respect, which are vital aspects in a healthy life.  

You may not realise it, but you motivate yourself every day in many small ways. For instance, right now, you’ve just motivated yourself to read through this blog. Chances are you’re here because you’d like to better some aspects of your life.   

Or, on a more generic level, you go to work because there is the motivation of a paycheck at the end of the month. You work hard so that you can earn appreciation and acknowledgement among peers, or perhaps the ability to do something that you love motivates you to get up every morning and go to work. 

If you have a great boss at work, someone who takes time out to know their employees or appreciates a job well done, maybe that’s what motivates you to go to work and give it your best.   

Workplace issues aside, you also motivate yourself in many everyday situations. If you’re a giver or someone wishes to help others, you may be motivated to donate your time or money to a cause. If you’re driven by a desire for achievement, you may spend hours studying just to get into a prestigious university.  

Likewise, if self-expression drives you, you may be motivated to become a writer or if you’re an athlete then perhaps you’re driven by the thrill of a sport, the challenge of winning the game, or you are simply driven by playing at your personal best.  

At its simplest, this is what motivation is. It can come from yourself, or someone else may push you to do something. Wherever the source, motivation is the initiative to succeed and surpass limits you or anyone else draws for you.  

There are many situations in which motivation can affect your decisions, but they don’t all come from the same motivator. Some things require a big step to take action, while others like the above mentioned just need a little shove to get you going. That is the magic of motivation.  
  
Types of motivation in your life  

There are different motivators that occur in your life to help you get going. Some motivators are big, like quitting a job or moving from one city to another. These motivators get you on your feet for change almost immediately. You’re going to need a job, so you have to work for one as soon as possible.  

A smaller motivator could be getting a limited-time, two-for-one deal at the mall. You may not realise it, but at that very moment you’ve been motivated to take that deal and buy the product. It may be the typical market scam but it’s the ideal example of motivation for it gets you to act quickly by setting a time limit on the deal.  

Other than big and small motivators there are positive and negative motivators.  

Positive motivators are those that inspire you to do something because you know the end result is good. An example could be putting together a baby crib.  

It might be a lot of work, especially if this is your first attempt. But you’re still ready to do so because you know you’re going to need a bed to place your child in. That proves motivating enough for parents and they willingly assemble the crib for their child.  

Being your own boss may mean working 80 hours a week but spares you the hassle of working 40 hours a week for someone else. In other words, it gives you the freedom to make your own decisions and work with a feeling of self-worth. These are what positive motivators are.  

Negative motivators are those things in life that encourage you to do something, because you know if you don’t do them, you’ll end up with a bad aftertaste. This doesn’t make negative motivators the alternative of a positive motivators though.  

With a positive motivator, you act upon it out of free will. However, negative motivators are very much needed, but you don’t do it entirely out of free will.  

Deadlines are the best examples for this case. When you're given a deadline, it means you have to hand in work, or face consequences you don’t want to.  (Trust me I know all about backstop deadlines, but hey no one is perfect...yet :-)

So, the motivator that makes you finish your work on time is to avoid the possible adverse result, making it a negative motivator. They can be pesky, but sometimes the only way to get things done.  

While all of these things motivate, there can also be situations in which they de-motivate you. Like the third law of Newton, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.     


Motivation and De-Motivation  

Motivation helps you turn an idea into an action and is typically a positive feeling; the feeling of accomplishment and commitment. De-motivation is the opposite of this.  

It’s the perception that you can’t accomplish anything, are unable or unfit to, and is a gloomy feeling to carry around. Like a brick pulling down your stomach, it makes you feel bad and in common cases, lethargic.  

De-motivation isn’t always in your control. A bad day or experience can keep you from doing something about it, making you feel bad about yourself. You may have had a horrible experience with driving on your first try, and no matter how many times you try to tell yourself it’ll be different the next time, you succumb to the failure of the previous time.  

While one person may feel motivated about a promotion, another may be de-motivated by it. The first person here sees it as an ideal opportunity to achieve a higher position in work among colleagues. The second person may feel de-motivated because they know their chances at getting the promotion are less than the first person.  

This is an example of positive motivation, but at the same time, it is an unintentional method of de-motivating someone else.  

So while you may feel motivated to bring a crusty apple pie to your picnic, someone may feel de-motivated by your excellent desert and not bring their own pie. Sometimes, it’s out of your control if you de-motivate others, but sometimes it is not and just takes a little consideration to see.  

Simply enough, there are times you will be de-motivated, and it never feels good. But de-motivated emotions should never keep you down and instead remind you that there’s something to get done, and if you don’t do it, who else will do it for you?   

So the basic idea here is that de-motivation is the countering effect of motivation. It’s a block that prevents you from becoming motivated and its cure is, if anything, motivation.

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