What Motivates You?

As a life-long student of personal development, I've attended dozens of motivational seminars, listened to hundreds of tapes, and read untold books on the subject of motivation . I've presented motivational seminars. And yet there is one elemental truth that seems often overlooked. That is: no one can motivate you, because you have to do it to yourself. It's an inside job. And frankly it's less a function of "doing" than it is of discovering what your natural motivators are. So the key to getting and staying motivated is finding out what excites you. What makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning? What speaks to your heart as well as your head?

Is it the thought of being able to call your own shots as an independent business owner? Perhaps you get excited about the idea of helping people design systems of whatever kind to help them work more effectively and effortlessly. Maybe you hunger for an opportunity to speak to others in a way that inspires and lights their internal fires. Or perhaps being part of a team of people, working together to make great things happen, is what makes your heart beat faster. It could be that you love variety and any environment that generates it.

If your basic needs were met and your mind could freely roam where it chose, what subjects would naturally bubble to the surface? What things naturally generate a sense of energy and ease? What is as natural to you as "falling off a log?" These are questions that begin to tap the root of what motivates you.

In a recent conversation with a prospective client she told me she was thinking of getting out of her current profession as a self-employed professional organizer. As we talked she discovered that what she was really looking for was the opportunity to team up and partner with others to stimulate her creative juices and generate more business. It didn't mean going back to work for someone else, although that was one option. Rather it was about transforming her idea of the ideal business environment for her. By the end of the call she had a renewed sense of possibility about her career. And she had definitely decided that going back to work for someone else, although "simple" in some respects, would not actually lead her where she wanted to go.

In this day and age when jobs and businesses are changing faster than ever before, when they "keep moving the cheese" (read Who Moved My Cheese? for the full explanation), those who create success for themselves will be those who find out what motivates them and follow that path. It may not mean being your own boss, but even if you work for someone else, it means finding that place where you can most readily apply your innate gifts and talents and use your internal motivational fire to serve others. Once you know what motivates you, your career options are infinitely clearer.

There are many tools and assessments in the marketplace today that can assist you in discovering where your natural motivations lie. Contact me if you'd like more information on those I offer. Or simply begin to pay attention to what gets you excited. Make a list of the things you most love doing and the environments you most enjoy working in. As you connect the dots, a new picture of your own motivators will emerge. And along with them, a renewed sense of the possibilities of "following your bliss". This week, sit with the question, "What motivates me?" And listen closely for what comes up. You may be surprised.

Betty Mahalik has been coaching small business owners, independent professionals and leaders who want to achieve more but stress less, since 1996. Her background includes several years in the broadcasting and public relations fields prior to starting her own firm in 1987. She is an accomplished public speaker and corporate trainer specializing in communications, goal-setting and leveraging your strengths. Since 2001, she has written a weekly motivational message, free to subscribers, titled Monday Morning Coach. To subscribe or learn more about Betty's coaching and training services, visit http://www.dynamic-coaching.com

---

Trust Your Intuition!

How many times have you been faced with a decision... Read More

Are You Stuck?

You know the feeling.There's something you want to do. You've... Read More

Have You Ever Not Done Something Because Someone Said You Couldnt?

"Every truly great accomplishment is at first impossible." It's a... Read More

What Motivates the Motivator?

Someone wrote me an email a couple of weeks ago... Read More

The Undeniable Power of a Mastermind Group

A Mastermind is a group of individuals who are joined... Read More

Casting Vision

One of my greatest loves as a kid was fishing.... Read More

No Regrets

MY FOUR-MINUTE DANCING CAREERA few years ago, I decided to... Read More

The Missing Piece

Have you ever tried putting a puzzle together, only to... Read More

Keep the Channel Open

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

A Turning Point

19 years ago, I was a young working mother at... Read More

Why Bother About Your Life?

Have you failed to create the life you want, because... Read More

We Are Trying To

How many times have you heard this in your life?... Read More

Be Action-Oriented

Are you a melancholic online business owner by nature? I... Read More

How To Motivate Yourself For Success?

I was having coffee with my friend the other day.... Read More

Information Age: Knowledge is King

In our information age, having the right knowledge at the... Read More

Facing Our Fears

'You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in... Read More

How To Get Through A Bad Day

No matter how hard you try to make them otherwise,... Read More

Daily Motivation--Be Kind to Yourself for a Change

"How far you go in life depends on your being... Read More

Keep On Keepin On

In those times when everything seems to be going just... Read More

Get The Man Right

One Saturday morning, a minister could not think of a... Read More

Half Dome, A Story About Your Future Success

The physical journey mirrors very accurately the spiritual journey of... Read More

Rules To Live Life By

How often have we heard ourselves complaining about how unlucky... Read More

The Seven Keys to Motivation

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

Teaching kids -- UGH!! (...and what I learned from it)

I have a confession to make: I don't like working... Read More

Discover The Upside of Anger

Most of us are prone to anger! As we grow... Read More

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

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

Five Mores to Enhance Your Performance

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

Why You Should Write Your Obituary Today

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

Change Your Life, Release Fear, and Create What you Really Want

Do you have a dream? Or do you just have... Read More

Do you Live the Life you Desire?

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

9 Great Ways To Change Your Life By Changing Your Motivation Style

If you are not as productive as you'd like or... Read More

Persistence

One of the keys to being successful in anything you... Read More

Chasing Your Dreams!

Friends, it is always a power of your dreams and... Read More