Motivation: 5 Powerful Emotions You Can Use

Experiencing strong emotions is not uncommon. What is uncommon is applying these emotions to motivate you to change and grow.

Having said that, here are five emotional states that can change your life, if you act on them:

commitment, desire, disgust, decision and focus.

Commitment

If you are committed there is always a way, and usually more than one way. The key phrase here is if you are committed. Commitment to a relationship, exercise, career or achieving goals means that no matter what, I'm sticking to it, I'm seeing this through.

One of the nice things is that when you are committed to something, you seem to find yourself involved with other committed people.

The late singer-songwriter Harry Chapin said "Whether it's to a cause, a relationship or something else, when you hang out with people who are committed, you hang out with the folks with the live hearts, the live minds, the live eyes."

Applied to marriage, this notion of commitment is much more than just being committed to avoiding divorce. It's the commitment that you will do everything in your power to make the relationship a great place to be.

Desire

"How bad do you want to beat Edgewater?" my high school football coach screamed in my face when he caught me going a little too easy one day in practice. That one has stayed with me because he was right: The amount of desire I had that day was showing up in the actions I chose to take.

Desire is reflected in your actions. Desire with little or no action is not worth much. So ask yourself frequently, "How much do I want this?"

Disgust

Disgust is not typically an emotion associated with positive change. Or is it?

Have you ever been disgusted with a situation, a relationship or yourself?

Most of us have, of course. But have you ever been so disgusted that you were motivated to change no matter what? Being sick and tired of being sick and tired with something can be a fantastic motivator for change when you decide "no more, not again, not ever!"

Decision

The root word for decision is incision, which means to cut. So when you decide, really decide, that something will be different in your life, you "cut off" any other possibility. And it's reflected in your view of and attitude toward life.

Bill Marriott of Marriott Hotels said, "Failure? I've never encountered it. I just stumbled over a few temporary setbacks."

That's decision in motion.

Focus

Each one of us is bombarded every day with hundreds of things trying to get our attention. Focus is an emotional state that pulls together commitment desire, disgust and decision.

When I see people struggling with where they want to go, one of the first places I look is their power of focus. We tend to be pulled toward that which we focus on. Lack of focus usually equals lack of success and achievement.

Focus on all the distractions pulling for your attention, and you're not likely to get where you want to go. Focus on where you want to go and you are likely to get there.

Commitment, desire, disgust, decision and focus.

Don't just experience these emotional states, apply them to create the life you desire.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

---

Make Up Excuses Why You Can

We all have excuses as to why we can't do... Read More

Learn to Do What Winners Do But Others Will Not

If you want to be a winner you have to... Read More

What Do You Truly Value Most?

Believe it or not, values are in the core of... Read More

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Lately, I've become super sensitive to the amount of excuses... Read More

Why are You Living?

It was 4,O'Clock in the morning, my regular time to... Read More

No Excuses

Don't you just hate it when people make excuses for... Read More

How to Stay Motivated - Part 1

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

How to Make it Big In Spite of Your Challenges

Imagine for a moment it's five years from now and... Read More

Starting Over

I worked hard for the past 17 years. I felt... Read More

ACTION is More Important than Knowledge!

It was Albert Einstein who stated that 'imagination is more... Read More

Getting Out of the Zone!

We've probably all heard the famous movie quip, "why don't... Read More

Commit To Applying Lessons Learned

When growing up as a child, the concept of learning... Read More

Make It Happen Now!

Most people think that when they have chosen a path... Read More

8 Super Ways To Avoid Procrastination

We are all guilty of delaying what needs to be... Read More

I Should Be Doing... But...?

What a perfect fall Saturday morning, clear sunny blue sky,... Read More

Motivation By Your Family And Cornermen

The motivation for good or bad which we get from... Read More

3 Clever Ways To Stop Procrastinating

Stopping procrastination can be challenging, especially since you can't put... Read More

Hurry Up And Procrastinate

I've been meaning to write this column, but I keep... Read More

Action vs. Apathy - Feeling Powerless? Get Moving!

How many times have you felt truly defeated by the... Read More

Why You Should Write Your Obituary Today

Writing your own obituary sounds and feels a little strange,... Read More

About That Dream...

About that Dream...Remember your very first job? That all-grown-up feeling!... Read More

Are You Ready To Make A Strong Finish?

Talk about a strong finish! In their inspiring story of... Read More

Understanding What Motivates People to Take Action

So I wanted to buy a car. It was a... Read More

Why Idle Hands Create Stagnation in Our Lives

You've probably heard the phrase, "Idle hands are the devil's... Read More

Growing Out of Your Comfort Zone

It has been said that "if you are not growing,... Read More

Wake Up to the Life You Love

While speaking at a San Diego university recently, I was... Read More

Limitations Real Or Imagined, Stick Em In A Pigs Eye!

It's about time to take a real hard look at... Read More

Playing With Mindfulness: Sneaking In The Back Door

I often meet people who say things like, "I've been... Read More

A Dollar and Some Ambition

(Excerpted from "Building Your Network Marketing Business" CD)Capital in your... Read More

Comment on Extra Ordinary Men of Our Time

Remember during the missions of Apollo. And others we knew... Read More

If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It!

"I have heard it said that the first ingredient of... Read More

Dont Wait For All of Lifes Traffic Lights to Turn Green

Can you imagine getting into your motor vehicle, reversing out... Read More

Hold That Elevator!

As Prince, or whatever his name is now put it... Read More