If you are on social media or surf internet, once a while we all come across a motivational campaign sponsored by a speaker, author or a leadership coach. The gullible ones indulge in the campaign and end up buying a book, watching a video or taking a newsletter subscription. The practical ones discard the information completely and laugh at such speakers. I do not blame the non-believers because there are millions of people who are selling the idea of successful and rich lives both online and offline. Nothing upsets us more than seeing a broke person, trying to sell the wealth formula.
So what is the answer? Are all motivators nothing but fraudulent people teaching people the strategies they never implemented? If you want to make the most of the phenomenon called motivation then try this advice:
1. Identify your goals by finding out what matters to you – Meditation will give you the answers. Look for inspiration and moments that capture your attention. What kind of work is not work for you? What can you do with your current level of fitness, health and personality?
2. Learn to separate the message from the messenge –. Try to be a creator rather than being a critic. If you come across any useful message being shared by a person who is not living the very message, learn to focus only on the message. I always thank a chain smoker when he or she tells me that smoking is not good for health.
3. Create a self-improvement plan and compete only with yourself – How will you live your life, if you were the only person on this planet? What will you do with your life-goals in such a hypothetical scenario? Comparison and jealousy are the cause of all human misery. Take inspiration from others and then break your own records. You just need to ensure that your today's performance is better than your past performance.
4. Watch your language, thoughts and actions – If your thoughts, words and actions are congruent then you do not need any external motivation. The problem is that we over-think, over-talk but we usually suffer from an action deficit. Think empowering thoughts and use the language that makes you take highest quality action.
5. Be willing to fail, learn and adjust – It will take a few adjustments before you figure out your own motivation mechanism. It is both stupid and suicidal to give up a good habit just because you were not rewarded for it in your very first attempt.
Self-improvement or self-help industry may have been rotten by a few hypocrite messengers but trust me if you learn to focus only on the message, you will eventually realize your full potential.
(Siddhartha Sharma is the bestselling author of Love Your Mondays and retire young, 60 Keys to Success with NLP and many other books)
