If you owned an expensive racehorse (by the way, if you do, congratulations!), you would do your best to determine under what conditions your horse performed best. When I was winning a race, you tried to control what I ate and when, the pre-race preparation, the environment, the trainer. You will want to know exactly what your horse did just before the race. You will then try to replicate those conditions to the best of your ability, to increase your horse’s chances of success.
Well, the good news is that you are your own horse! You need to determine what motivates and excites you. If for any reason you are down or tired and had a rough day, the methods you have identified will get your horse back on track.
One day my teenage daughter and I were driving down the road and she said, “Guess my favorite movie?” After nineteen guesses, all completely wrong, I finally gave up. I said, “I don’t know, I give up” and was ready to hear a dark movie response. My daughter then told me that her favorite movie was Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone. This would be the last answer I would expect from a very pretty and feminine girl. The movie is a tough and gritty story of an underdog who rises from the darkness to fight his way to the top. It is a dark, bloody and violent film. So I asked him why he liked that movie. His response from her? “I am excited!” The movie, to my daughter, is not about boxing, it’s about inspiration!
Identifying Your Rocket Fuel
I have found like anyone, that there are certain books, magazines, music and people that really motivate me. I have also found certain books, people, music, and magazines to be very exhausting and demotivating. They “rain on my parade” so to speak.
What are some of the motivational tools and influences that can keep you going?
oBooks
Have you ever read the story of someone who, despite all the obstacles they faced, was able to succeed beyond their wildest dreams? Weren’t you amazed and inspired? There are many books that I have read over the years that have inspired me. A biography, self-help books, history, psychology and even sometimes fiction have inspired me. You need to identify a list of books that have inspired other people, and then find ones that do the same for you. Then you will have them available, when you need them.
The good thing about some books is the fact that they are timeless. Classic books, because they are based on simple truths, do not really lose their relevance. I recently read Victor Frankel’s Man’s Search for Meaning. The book was written just after World War II, but the principles are timeless and just as relevant today.
Once you locate the books, what are the ones that motivate you to buy them. I know it’s less expensive to get books from the library, but owning the books is a better solution, because they’re there for reference when you need them. Invest in yourself!
oMovies/Videos/DVDs
Have you ever thought of movies that inspire you? I have several that really excite me. The Elephant Man, starring John Hurt, is a remarkable film about the triumph of the human spirit. I also love Dead Poets Society, Tucker: A man and his Dreams, Rocky and several others. Identify the movies you like and add them to your library.
o Magazines and trade journals
There are various magazines and newspapers on the market that are about motivation or success, or that you would find motivating. If your dream is to one day own a yacht, then a yachting magazine might be motivation for you to read it. A good magazine should, in my opinion, be entertaining, motivating and a potential source of ideas. I can pick up a magazine and read an article, which may well be worth the price of the magazine. I once took Fast Company and read an article by Tom Peters that kept my wheels turning for days! I was so impressed; I subscribed to the magazine and read it every month.
oPeople
I truly believe that the quality of your life is greatly affected by the type of people you associate with on a daily basis. You can and should choose your associations. Try to surround yourself with positive, motivated and optimistic people. Limit your contact with people who are continually negative, pessimistic, or mean. You can say at this point “well I can’t choose my friends and associations”. That is what you have chosen to believe, but it is not the truth. The truth of the matter is that you decide every day who to befriend and keep that friend that has been driving you crazy for years!
What about your family? You can’t choose your family; They are the cards you have been dealt in life. Most families have some wild cards! However, if you have family members who are negative and continually difficult, limit your contact to the proverbial Thanksgiving dinner and pass on the gravy.
I want you to think of negative people as “energy vampires” who just sneak up from behind and suck up your positive energy and motivation right before you know it!
My best friend is a gentleman named Dave. Unfortunately we live in different states. When I call Dave, he is always positive, upbeat, and supportive. At the end of a call with Dave, I always feel better than before the call started. Friends should be the people who support you and motivate you.
Will there be times when you feel less motivated? Times you’re down? Sure! The key at such times is to have a friend you can call on, who will help you recover and give you a positive outlook when you’re in a “funk.” Not the friend who will say, “Well, let me tell you what happened to me,” and he will tell a sad tale of woe. If you surround yourself with positive and optimistic people, you cannot fail!
oExercise
No, this is not a misprint! I said exercise. Exercise is an excellent tool to motivate yourself and stay motivated. If you want to get pumped, get in a great workout! In my opinion, there are two keys to making exercise a motivating activity:
1) Know that you have a long-term goal. (see chapter 1)
2) You need to find an exercise program that you enjoy and find rewarding. If it’s not enjoyable and rewarding, it won’t last long!
Here’s another compelling reason to exercise. Aside from the fact that you will live a longer and healthier life, in surveys that have been conducted only 16% of people surveyed said they exercise regularly. That means if you work out, you’ll immediately separate yourself from 74% of the people you may be competing against. That’s a competitive advantage!
Exercise, as you’ve probably heard many times, releases many chemicals like endorphins, which are “natural highs.” I find that exercise gives me more energy and more confidence. Try it, you will like it. If you don’t like it, try some other form of exercise until you find one that you really like.
oMusic
Imagine the great movies of our time without music. Can you imagine Jaws without music? Gone With the Wind? Star Wars? This goes to show that music can have a powerful impact on people and it can have a powerful effect on you! Whenever you feel “down” or feel less motivated, use music as a tool to help you pick yourself up. Find out what kind of music gets you going. It can be music from a soundtrack, from a movie or from a play. It can be a specific type of music like rock, country, or rap. Here is the key guideline; it has to work for you.
oRole models
It’s a useful technique for identifying people from the past and present that you admire, who you can use as role models. Reading and studying about other people who have been very successful can help you stay more motivated. I am a huge fan of Walt Disney, and every time I read about him and all that he accomplished; I just get totally excited. When I read about all the adversities he overcame and managed to overcome, despite everyone’s preaching, it makes me want to work even harder to achieve my goals.
oTheatrical Shows
I think one of the reasons Broadway shows are so popular is that great musicals have always been inspiring. Maybe it’s because I’m of Irish descent, but every time I watch Riverdance, my heart races! Find what kinds of shows get you going, whether they’re musical dramas or operas.
The power of other environments
Find out what other types of environments motivate you and get your wheels turning. To get motivated, perhaps a visit to your local museum, a visit to a certain store, or a trip to your favorite coffee shop. Perhaps a nice walk in your favorite park, or a visit to the local luxury car dealership, to see the car you are going to have!
The end result of this chapter is to understand yourself well enough, to know what the keys to your motivational block are. It is important to know the activities that motivate you, keep you motivated, and to be in a good mood instead of a bad mood.
Don’t get me wrong, everyone gets down from time to time and that’s okay. What is not right is to stay there! I don’t think someone in a bad mood has ever accomplished anything productive. A proven method to get out of a low mood or mood is to do something, call a friend, go for a walk, but do something!
If you strive to identify the activities that really help you get up, then, like a doctor, you write your own prescription to solve the problem.
One thing I can guarantee is that it’s almost impossible to stay down when you’re doing one of your “mood-lifting” activities. There are so many people who seem helpless, stuck in dull, boring lives, who are “in a rut.” I think it’s tragic, because if only they understood that they are the ones who control the quality of life they lead. Don’t live “a life of quiet despair!” Decide that you are going to lead an exciting life productive of motivation!