If change is the only constant, motivation is the force that influences change in a positive direction.
Motivation is necessary to do anything new, contrary to the status quo, or for a prolonged period of time.
By far the most powerful source of motivation is within us. Other people and surrounding circumstances can influence our thoughts and feelings, but ultimately the choice of when and how to act is ours alone.
This innate motivation arises when you identify more benefits (good thoughts and feelings about the future) than costs. Often, this cost-to-benefit analysis (CBA) is done partially or wholly in the subconscious mind. However, when you bring the process into the light of conscious awareness you will see that’s exactly how motivation works.
If you have identified a change you want to bring about, first figure out the costs and benefits before your ego writes a check your will power or ability can’t cash. If the costs of change outnumber or outweigh the benefits, or if the benefits only marginally exceed the costs, then you have to improve the situation to avoid a failed effort or a scantly rewarded success.
Get creative and develop a more compelling forecast by searching for additional costs or benefits or by finding new ways of valuing existing ones. When your CBA of a new endeavor generates some excitement within you, or better still passion, your chances of a successful outcome are promising. When the risk appears worth the reward, take it.
You may have to reassess your CBA if you begin to feel that your initial assessment has run its course. For instance, once the initial excitement and novelty of making the effort to get fit and healthy wears off you’ll have to find either new benefits or costs, such as realizing that nothing worth a lot can be obtained for a little or that poor health and fitness will become very expensive further down the line.
BODY – MIND – SPIRIT
Motivation is necessary to do anything new, contrary to the status quo, or for a prolonged period of time.
By far the most powerful source of motivation is within us. Other people and surrounding circumstances can influence our thoughts and feelings, but ultimately the choice of when and how to act is ours alone.
This innate motivation arises when you identify more benefits (good thoughts and feelings about the future) than costs. Often, this cost-to-benefit analysis (CBA) is done partially or wholly in the subconscious mind. However, when you bring the process into the light of conscious awareness you will see that’s exactly how motivation works.
If you have identified a change you want to bring about, first figure out the costs and benefits before your ego writes a check your will power or ability can’t cash. If the costs of change outnumber or outweigh the benefits, or if the benefits only marginally exceed the costs, then you have to improve the situation to avoid a failed effort or a scantly rewarded success.
Get creative and develop a more compelling forecast by searching for additional costs or benefits or by finding new ways of valuing existing ones. When your CBA of a new endeavor generates some excitement within you, or better still passion, your chances of a successful outcome are promising. When the risk appears worth the reward, take it.
You may have to reassess your CBA if you begin to feel that your initial assessment has run its course. For instance, once the initial excitement and novelty of making the effort to get fit and healthy wears off you’ll have to find either new benefits or costs, such as realizing that nothing worth a lot can be obtained for a little or that poor health and fitness will become very expensive further down the line.
BODY – MIND – SPIRIT
| |
RSS Feed