Your Biggest Do it Yourself Project

When I meet people and tell them what I do, I often hear, "Oh, you are a motivational speaker," with some amount of assuredness in their voice. While I realize there are many speakers that people lump into this category (some who are my friends and mentors), I strongly disagree with that label.

Do I speak? Yes.

Can I inspire, challenge thinking, provide ideas, input, and encouragement (and in smaller settings), provide feedback? Yes I can.

Can I motivate? No I can't.

DIY

There is a channel on my television called DIY ? The Do It Yourself Network. On this channel you can learn how to make drapes, redo your landscape, take care of your yard, build a deck, make unique crafts, and much more. Many people must watch it, because it has been on my television for several years. Actually this doesn't surprise me. People want to learn how to do new things. They want to avoid the cost of the expensive plumber, carpenter or painter, and they like the pride that comes with seeing the results of their efforts.

If people do the things they learn about (rather than just watching) they are doing it because they are self motivated. No crafty, clever, or comical TV host has motivated them ? they have motivated themselves.

It is the same with our personal, professional and business projects ? we may work with others and need expert coaching, advise, counsel and encouragement, but in the end these are "Do it yourself" projects too.

Five Suggestions

Here are five things you can do to make your own improvement and growth and "do it to yourself" project.

1. Have a reason for doing. If your windows are bare, you know you need drapes. If your grill sits in the grass, you know you want a deck in your backyard. What is the reason you want to improve your skills or habits or achieve new results? Having a clear goal is the first step towards self motivation. If you watch the TV show because you are interested, but don't need that skill, you will just watch. If you listen to a great speaker or read their book and don't have a clear goal, you'll get no more than an enjoyable experience.

2. Take action every day. You have your goal, your reason, so now take action. I can't take that action for you any more than Bob Villa, your boss or a family member can. Make a plan and get started. You don't have to carve out two hours in your already over crowded day, but do something. Take a step towards your self-improvement project every day. At least one thing, every day.

3. Put in the positive stuff. Many people who are learning to build that deck buy books, magazines, and software; go to the local hardware super center for classes and ask for advice, and much more. Are you putting anywhere near this amount of time, effort, and money into reaching your personal or professional improvement goals? Read or listen to the positive, uplifting material each day. Consider it inspirational fuel for your own motivation.

4. Lose the Losers. Do you have people around you who aren't willing to invest in themselves? How much time are you spending with those who ridicule or put down your efforts? While you may not be able to remove these people from your life, you can reduce the impact their attitude has on you. Recognize how they negatively impact you and move on.

5. Turn off the TV. Yes, even football, I remind myself. Am I saying you should not watch any television? No, but TV is the major time stealer in our society and is a self reinforcing habit. Every show has commercials for other shows. So not only are watching others achieve their goals while we aren't achieving ours, but we are being bombarded with messages about products we don't need and being convinced to watch even more. You will find as you watch less TV it gets easier to watch less. Why? In part because you won't know what is on!

The person who learned how to dry wall his own basement when asked why they chose to do it says something like, "I figured no one would care as much about the quality of the job as I would, so I decided to learn myself. Besides, I have so much more pride in the results."

These are great reasons to "do it yourself." Apply that same logic and reasoning to yourself. Don't ask me to motivate you. That is your job. Just like the expert on TV, I can help show the way and help you see that it is possible. But in the end, it is your life, your results, your project. Go out and Do it yourself.

Kevin is Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.a sp to read the current issue and subscribe.

---

What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?

The next time you find yourself relaxing on the couch,... Read More

Life Doesnt Have A Sell By Date

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

Achieving Your Dreams

Have you achieved your dreams? Dreams are an important part... Read More

ADHD - Its a Wonderful Life

As I usually do over the Holidays, I watched one... Read More

Recommendations for the Best Personal Growth Books

I can't stress this enough: You've got to motivate yourself... Read More

How to Get Up on a Down Day

One of the major obstacles to achieving goals is losing... Read More

Lazy? Or Right on Schedule

Q. I've been working on a big project for a... Read More

Stop Procrastination--Just Do It!

In this article I'll talk about the reason that stops... Read More

Productivity Engineering

Review: Productivity Engineering- A hypnosis program to help you improve... Read More

Motivation By Gratitude

Whenever you feel lethargic and depressed by your situation in... Read More

The Story Of A King And Three Maidens ? Six Keys To A Successful Relationship

A King was trying to choose between three maidens to... Read More

Life Rewards Action

Thinking is good, yes it is. I strongly encourage thinking.... Read More

Stick With the Winners

Here is an interesting quotation from Stephen Walsh."We're building up... Read More

Motivation; 5 Steps to Get the Changes You Want

Q: I just read your column in today's' Greensboro News... Read More

Power Of The Mind

THOUGHTSJames Allen in his Book "As a Man Thinketh"says Mind... Read More

Do you Live the Life you Desire?

There comes a time in every person's life when you... Read More

Five Mores to Enhance Your Performance

When you think about the most successful, happy, fulfilled people... Read More

The Solutions to Lifes 10 Biggest Problems!

Every day clients tell me about their problems, often in... Read More

Knowledge Or Action

It's been said that knowledge is power. While that's true... Read More

Ten Major Causes of Failure

-Lack of a specific purpose in life. You can not... Read More

Right Action & Right Effort: The Keys to Martial Arts Mastery, Keys 3 &4

In the philosophical teachings that form the base for our... Read More

When Life Gives You Waves, Learn to S.U.R.F.

Would you like to learn a skill set and technique... Read More

Are You an Optimist or a Pessimist?

I have been giving some thought lately to optimism and... Read More

Make Fear a Nine Day Wonder - Motivate Yourself with Fun!

Have you heard something referred to as a "nine day... Read More

How Much Risk Is Too Much To Take?

The ladder was braced against the railings going to the... Read More

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Recently a person attended one of my goal setting seminars... Read More

How to Change Your Negative Reality

It is often taken for granted that the reality tomorrow... Read More

ACTION is More Important than Knowledge!

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

Its a Habit

Do you sometimes have the feeling that you're running into... Read More

Get Up and Do!

The motivation to change my oil came the other day... Read More

The Seven Keys to Motivation

Motivation. It's a complicated subject that is studied by many... Read More

4 Powerful Ways To Fire Up Your Motivation

It's so difficult to go on when everything seems to... Read More

Discover the Hidden Power of Self Motivation

Many studies have been done to research the effects of... Read More