How To Be Motivated Without A Motivator

Many professionals spend their entire careers working under managers or supervisors that don't truly understand the importance of motivation. This lack of understanding results in one of two things: 1) Low performance and productivity of the organization and staff or 2) Self-motivation of the professional, which results in high performance, satisfaction, and productivity. If you are in the low performance category then you know how difficult it is to reach your potential without someone motivating you. What you need to begin doing is motivating yourself.

The definition of motivation used here is: "Instruction and challenges given that assists in reaching goals, dreams and (more importantly) potential." This definition has been perfected by Weight Watchers: a very successful weight-loss organization. Weight Watchers has discovered that weekly "weigh-in" meetings boost the achievement of their client's weight loss goals. These meetings also serve to give instruction and accountability to those passionate about losing needed pounds.

Therefore, lets apply a similar approach to your career and personal life, with you being the motivator. In order to motivate yourself you need to discover, design, and develop.

  • Discover your passion. What is your passion? A basic definition of passion is: A powerful or compelling emotion or feeling. To help you discover yours, ask yourself the following question, "What would I do if I could do anything at all, knowing I could not fail and personal abilities, time and money are not an issue?"

  • Design your goals. A good exercise to accomplish this is to write down where you where five years ago, where you are right and now, and where you want to be in five years in the following categories?

    • Personal development (what you want to learn, physical body, fears to overcome).

    • Career, business, finances (amount of sales this month/year, those that you would like as your professional associates, savings/investing/retirement).

    • Fun and adventure ? fun and adventure are both great rewards for staying motivated.

    • Giving and service (time given to help others in need, use of your skills at your church or in the community)

    Once you have written these goals down it is very important that they be added to your task list and reviewed on a weekly basis.

  • Develop ten positive weekly habits. These habits were modified from Mike Moore's Ten Terrific Self Motivating Tips article.

  • Be willing to leave your comfort zone. The greatest barrier to achieving your potential is your comfort zone. Great things happen when you make friends with your discomfort zone.

  • Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Wisdom helps us avoid making mistakes and comes from making a million of them.

  • Don't indulge in self-limiting thinking. Dare to dream big dreams. Shoot for the moon and expect to hit it.

  • Choose to be happy. Happy people are easily motivated. Laugh at something every day.

  • Spend at least one hour a day in self-development. Read good books, listen to inspiring tapes, pray and read God's Word.

  • Train yourself to finish what you start. So many of us become scattered as we try to accomplish a task.

  • Review your goals, and celebrate accomplishments.

  • Plan next week this week. If you hold yourself to your plans then you will accomplish a great deal and will not need someone to constantly motivate you.

  • Never quit when you experience a setback or frustration. Success could be just around the corner.

  • Find someone you can mentor and motivate. There is nothing like giving yourself away.

These are the steps that I have seen successful people implement into their lives. I hope they will help you learn to motivate yourself, whether you have a motivator in your life or not.

About The Author

Check out www.jeffearlywine.com for information about consulting and contact information.

jeff@atlantayfc.org


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In The News:


Boston Globe

Atoning for Week 3 debacle vs. Miami should be ample motivation
Boston Herald, United States - 5 hours ago
If the Pats need any more motivation than that, they don’t deserve to make the playoffs. The Pats were flat out humiliated from top to bottom. ...
Patriots Out for Revenge in Miami Sports Network
Miami mouth runs; Patriots pass Boston Globe (registration)
Joey Porter on Pats: 'We don't like them, they don't like us' USA Today
Palm Beach Postall 418 news articles

Cal still has plenty of motivation
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - Nov 22, 2008
Cal's preseason goals of winning the Pac-10 title and playing in the Rose Bowl are no longer attainable, so senior defensive end Rulon Davis called a ...
The Big Game will be a big game for Stanford Arizona Daily Star
Cal players motivated to get Axe back San Jose Mercury News
Cal still smarts from '07 defeat Contra Costa Times
Daily Californian - San Francisco Chronicleall 353 news articles

Lowell's Grubbe draws motivation from teammates in football semistate
Munster Times, IN - 2 hours ago
Grubbe said he received motivation from Lowell senior running back Cody Midgett, who ran for a 44-yard touchdown earlier in the third quarter. ...
Saints seek to avenge loss to Devils Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
all 5 news articles

Washington Post

UA/OSU notebook: Motivation present
Tucson Citizen, AZ - 17 hours ago
“He is very confident and very motivational too us. He is an emotional person. We all feed off that,” UA offensive guard Joe Longacre said. ...
Rivalries spice up Pac-10's final weeks Arizona Republic
Oregon State at Arizona Football Odds Locksmith Sports Picks
Gimino: OSU's Rodgers the perfect little guy Tucson Citizen
all 501 news articles

Bombing suspect's ex-wife questioned his marriage motivation
Canada.com, Canada - 6 hours ago
OTTAWA - The American ex-wife of a man accused in one of Europe's most shocking terrorist incidents suspected their marriage may have been a ploy to get an ...

Army football preview: Mooney has plenty of motivation
Times Herald-Record, NY - Nov 21, 2008
But personal achievements aren't Mooney's motivation when he takes the field at Rutgers Saturday. "It's really for the program right now as far setting them ...

Michigan has plenty motivation to beat Buckeyes
Chicago Tribune, United States - Nov 18, 2008
"Our current players have not gotten a win over Ohio State, so that's probably the motivation for us, particularly our seniors. ...
Rich Rodriguez coached by many on OSU-Michigan tradition Detroit Free Press
OSU-UM Rivalry Up Close: Antwerp's Bryan Gray in his senior season ... Defiance Crescent News
OSU chasing Big Ten title Independent Collegian (subscription)
Toledo Blade - OSU - The Lanternall 1,521 news articles

Bleacher Report

Oakland Raiders: 41-14 Will be the Motivation for Sunday's Rematch
Bleacher Report, CA - Nov 21, 2008
by greg pitsch (Columnist) When the season was just getting started, the Raider Nation was in full force to deter the haters that always seem to find us, ...

Oklahoma's Stoops: This game is motivation enough
Dallas Morning News, TX - Nov 17, 2008
"We've got all the motivation you need without having to bring up the fact they beat us a year ago," Stoops said. "It's all about this year and what the ...
Sooners looking for victory, not revenge RedRaiders.com
Oklahoma’s win earns lots of BCS style points Muskogee Daily Phoenix
Huskers gearing up for Fast finish to Regular Season against Colorado DeathRattleSports.com
BetFirms - OnlineSportsHandicapping.comall 1,219 news articles

Pitt State running back cites mother as motivation
Pittsburg Morning Sun, KS - Nov 20, 2008
His mother’s motivation does not take away the love he has for his son, who lives in San Jose, Calif. “I always think about him,” Brandon said. ...
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