One of the keys to a life full of energy and achievement (however you define that) is to stay motivated. Which is difficult. In 2008, I suffered from two massive asthma attacks brought on by environmental factors (pollution, massive construction in the city I live) and due to personal circumstances moved six times in the space of 12 months. I also had a wedding ceremony to plan, bought a new apartment and authored my first book.
By my own standards (and that is the only way to judge), this was an intense year physically, mentally and emotionally. Things worked out well in the end, because I kept focused on my purpose statement
Be the catalyst to help you unblock the {communication} obstacles that are stopping you from sharing your unique talents with the world.
I use my purpose statement to keep me motivated through tough (and good) times. I pause and ask myself how what I am currently working on, or experiencing, will help me be a catalyst to help people to unblock their obstacles. It takes me out of the pressures of the now and elevates me to a better place where I can “see” the point of today’s hustle and bustle. Living in the now is a good idea most of the time, but projecting into the future can help you through difficult times.
How can I find what motivates me?
The key to staying motivated is to understand and align your values with your objectives. Sounds simple right? But many people have no idea what their values are. We didn’t take a class in this at school, and I don’t remember there being a major in “Life Values” when I was graduating from university. Your employer may not have much interest in helping you align your life values in case you leave (although this is changing). A quick and simple way to find your values is to stop and think about your childhood. What? Yes, that’s right, start thinking about the activities you did as a child that you loved to do.
When I did this exercise I remembered that I loved cycling down to the park with my cousins and spending the whole day riding around creating elaborate role-playing fantasy stories interrupted with long football games. Now this doesn’t mean that I went off and did the same thing as an adult but it reminded me that I hadn’t been on a bicycle in many years. This led me to look into finding a bike club which led me to competing in triathlons which led me to become a vegetarian. Which led me to meet a whole new group of cool people and see new places while taking part in triathlons.
What were you doing as a child, that if you reinvented it to fit in your life today, would make you happier? Spend a few minutes to write down a list. You may need to ask your parents to help you remember. It’s a fun way to spend some time and will help you get in touch with some of those long lost motivators. Enjoy it!
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