Are You Motivated Right Now?

If there is one thing that we all lack when it comes to being, doing, and having the things that we want in life, I would say it is motivation in the moment. I know that there are over 100 things (because I actually took the time to make a list of them) that I would like to be, do, or have. Some are complex goals and others are simple whims and wishes. Why don't I have them? Why haven't I done them? I lacked the motivation in a given moment to pursue them.


Let's take this blog as an example. I can't tell you how many times I have thought that I would like to post something that day that would be of value to those who might happen to read it. My series on Universal Laws has been bouncing around in my head for months now. I think getting the series researched, written out and posted would be of great benefit to my readers and to me.


Have I had time to do it? Absolutely! I have the same amount of hours in any day that anybody else does. I would be lying to you and myself to say I haven't had time to do it. I have wasted precious moments that I could have used to complete it. I just wasn't motivated to do it in those moments.


So the question before us is "How do we motivate ourselves right now?" Let me give you a step-by-step process:

Step 1 - Take out a pen and paper. I'm serious here. Stop reading right now and take out a pen and paper or don't even bother reading further.



Do you have your pen and paper?




Okay. Good. Let's continue on ...


Step 2 - Write down what it is that you want to do. What do you want to accomplish? This could be a major goal like learning to play the piano, making $100,000 or becoming the top salesperson in your line of work. Or it could be something simple like giving a compliment to your significant other every single day, posting on your blog daily, reserving quality time each week for your kids.


Step 3 - Wright down what is most important to you in your life. It could be your spouse/significant other, your kids, your car, your bank account, whatever it is. What is most important to you?


Now, before we go on to the next step, I want to prepare you a little. Not because it is so amazing and so shocking, but because it is so simple. Open your mind to this next step and really let it sink in.


Step 4 - Ask yourself: What would you do if you had only 90 days to achieve your goal or you would lose what you cared about most forever?


Really let this question sink in, and, as soon as the ideas start pouring forth, write them all down as fast as you can. If what you wrote down for Step 2 is truly important to you, the answers should start coming to you right away. You will now have an idea list that will get you started on your goal, and, more likely than not, you will feel excited about doing it now. You may not see the full path that leads you from where you are now to where you want to go, but that's okay. You have a direction to start in and a number of steps outlined to start with. And now for the most important step of all ...


Step 5 - Pick one of your ideas and take action on it right away! It doesn't matter how small the step is, just do something; ANYTHING!!! If your goal is to learn to play the piano, it may be as simple as calling around to find out who teaches piano and making an appointment with them. If your goal is to get better at giving compliments to your significant other, your first step may be to make a list of all their attributes that your appreciate and admire. Just do it! DO IT NOW!!!




What? Are you still here? What are you doing? You're wasting your time. You're wasting your life! Not the one you are currently living but the one you always dream about. Go take your first step and then come back. These words aren't going anywhere. They'll be here when you get back. GO NOW!!!!!



Did you go and come back? If you did, that's fantastic because now you are one step closer to where you want to be and you are ready for the next step on your list. And every step you take, every task you complete, will motivate you more and more because each little success you have will add up to the major success of completing your goal.


The reason why this works so well is you are adding two essential factors to your goals that you were most likely lacking before completing this exercise: IMPORTANCE and URGENCY. We pay our electric bill because it is important for us to keep warm and cook food and it is urgent that we do so before the electric company shuts it off. We go grocery shopping because it is important for us to eat to survive and urgent because we are hungry.


If someone kidnapped my wife, held a gun to her head and told me I had 90 days to bring them $1,000,000 or they would blow her brains out, I would be motivated enough to start selling everything I own that very day. I would also talk to every last person I could get in contact with to ask them for help. I don't care if I had to ask 12,000 people every single day for 90 days to donate $1 to help save my wife, I would do it (and I really struggle when it comes to asking other people for help). Nothing would stop me from raising that $1,000,000 before that 90 day deadline because my wife is very important to me and the deadline makes it urgent that I get it done. THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD FAIL!!!


I hope that you did not read this whole post in one sitting. I hope that as soon as you read Step 5 you stopped reading right then and went out and took the first step towards achieving your goal. If you didn't, I won't hold it against you as long as you go do it right now. And once you have done it, come back and leave a comment telling me how it all worked out.