Motivation, Your Core Resource

Your motivation is one of the core resources you have to accomplish all the things you want to achieve.

Let us get one thing clear though before we handle this resource called motivation.

You may have listened to people who refer to themselves as 'motivational speakers'. And you may have attended a motivational training workshop. You got motivated there. Good!

I want you though to start of thinking of 'motivation' in a new way. And this way, which is an old fact is that 'success is not a product of motivation'. Yes, I know I have just said it.

Contrary to some popular wishful thinking, success is not a product of motivation. Rather, it is the other way round.

High Motivation Is A Result of Success and low motivation is a result of prior failure.

What this means is that repeated success in a particular activity leads [motivates] one to want to do that activity often. While repeated failure at a particular activity leads [demotiavtes] one to want to avoid that activity.

Of what importance is this understanding in positioning yourself optimally? Now that you understand that success creates motivation, and failure destroys it, what's the use?

Motivation is made up of four elements that are essential to know and apply in your quest for success and abundance. Those elements are: memories, meanings, meta-programs, and metaphors. Let us take a look at each one of them.

Memories

The memories you have about your past are influencers on your motivation. If memories of success are many and strong in your life, then it stands to reason that you will be positively inclined, and well motivated. Plentiful memories of failure on the other hand will predispose you to strong hesitancies.

It is important therefore to choose with care the memories that make up your success package.

Meta-programs

Meta-programs are patterns of acting/re-acting which an individual prefers in given situations. They may change across context and time.

Two of the meta-programs you may want to think of are:

internal/external: relying on your own opinions versus relying on the opinions of others.

towards/away from: moving towards some desired objective versus moving away from an undesirable situation.

The meta-programs identify what motivates an individual and are helpful in defining 'success' and what makes it happen.

What this means for you is that you will find it helpful if you know which meta-programs you use to attain success. And use them!

Meanings

The meaning an event/experience has for an indvidual will determine how motivated they will/not be to engage in it.

Meaning is made up of expectations and criteria.

How much you expect something to occur goes hand in hand with what that particular something means to you. If it is something you are not really attached to, it does not matter whether it occurs or not. It is meaningless to you. You attach a particular criterion to something in order for that thing to have a personal meaning to you.

Criterion says: "What makes this meaningful to me", while expectation says: "How possible is this for me?".

What an event, activity or experience means to you will determine how successful you will want to be in relation to that activity. And, your perceived success will in turn influence how motivated you will be to engage in (similar) activities.

Metaphors

Metaphors are language tools we use to try to understand vague or abstract concepts and experiences. When we use them, they become frames that help us focus our attention on some aspect of a concept, situation or experience while ignoring other aspects.

Metaphors have an impact on our perceptions and the behaviours that result from these perceptions. The metaphors that you apply to yourself, others and your situations contain with them your beliefs about reality. They make experience coherent for you. And because they contain beliefs about reality, they tend to be self-fulfilling prophecies.

In order to understand the influence of metaphors on your experience do the following:

a. identify your metaphors
b. which beliefs are inherent in these metaphors?
c. what reality (or even lies) do they create?
d. is this the kind of reality that you need to?

Now you know that prior successes motivates you. How can you use this knowledge?

What you can do is to recall any and/or all the successes you have had in the recent past. Fill your brain with memories of success.

Secondly, make sure you know the meta-programs that are operational in your life.

Thirdly, take a look at how you use 'meanings'. How do you balance your criteria with your expectations?

And, fourthly, make sure that your metaphors are congruent with who you want to be or with what you want to happen in your life. Contradictory metaphors are disabling.

You now can see how motivation is a core resource you can use in positioning yourself for success and abundance.

Make sure you understand it very well, and apply it wisely!

Ke o agile is an NLP Coach as well as editor and publisher of In TheZone an NLP focused ezine that coaches creating an abundant lifestyle as well as an NLP focused blog http://inthesuccesszone.blogspot.com/atom.xml

In The News:

---

Stop Holding Yourself Back

Try this exercise. Take a sheet of paper and list... Read More

The Default Setting

In the coaching relationships I have with our clients, the... Read More

A Formula For Improved Achievement

Your ability to perform in life is determined by a... Read More

Correct Your Mindset and Expel The Fear

The main problem with many of us is we loose... Read More

The Lies We Live By

How many times have you lied to get your way?Many... Read More

The 31 Absolute Best Resources for Self Improvement

Every week, I hear from people with the same Self... Read More

Why Now Is The Perfect Moment For You To Succeed

Let´s discover the importance of balancing preparation, timing and momentum.... Read More

Keep the Channel Open

Why do you do what you do? What is your... Read More

Moving Past Your Comfort Zone

We all gravitate toward what we feel most comfortable doing.... Read More

Develop Guts to Achieve Glory

It is just amazing the amount of people who don't... Read More

What Motivates You?

As a life-long student of personal development, I've attended dozens... Read More

Motivation By Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning is a great motivator. Why confine it to... Read More

Are Millionaires and PhDs Really Smarter? The Answer May Surprise You!

I've had a vast array of job experiences. While in... Read More

Letting Go Of Our Negativity

Everyone has something, whether it be a habit, or aspect... Read More

Life Doesnt Have A Sell By Date

Or does it?Best on or before?.. Nearly everything we touch... Read More

Letting Events Control Your Life ... Dropping The Negatives And Moving On!

It's interesting to note how we sometimes become so inundated... Read More

How to Take Your Stalled Projects to the Finish Line

Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More

The Rate of Change

There have been many discussions and grumblings in the Western... Read More

The Time to Act

Engaging in genuine discipline requires that you develop the ability... Read More

Fear

As you prepare to take your first steps, could there... Read More

Wherever you Go - There you Are

Wherever you go, there you are. This is the title... Read More

Tips To Get Motivated and Overcome Procrastination

Procrastination is a complicated behavior that affects all people to... Read More

What Being Vs Doing Really Means

So often we hear about "being" rather than "doing." Often... Read More

Words That Inspire - CHOICE

What CHOICE do you want to make?Dictionary* says:the act of... Read More

Being Genuinely Curious

Yesterday at the dinner table, my eleven-year-old daughter asked me,... Read More

Are You Still Stuck on Still?

Are you still "stuck on still?" If so, don't let... Read More

How to Stay Motivated - Part 1

As a "Motivation Trainer" for over 20 years, I have... Read More

Are You Travelling Along The Slippery Slope To Your Grave?

When it comes right down to it where ever you... Read More

Activity Versus Accomplishment

Each and every day, all of us continually search for... Read More

10 Ways to Overcome Procrastination: The Challenge for Tomorrow!

Did you realize that as much as 47% of the... Read More

How to Use Discouragement to Motivate Yourself

Ever feel like giving up? Do you ever feel so... Read More

Need Help? Look Within First

After eating a turkey and dressing sandwich for breakfast, I... Read More

5 Forgotten Secrets to Beating Procrastination at Home

It's not easy to stay motivated and beat procrastination while... Read More