Motivation Take A Look At Several Approaches To Actually Making Life Changes

Today’s column is a mix of random, and sometimes rambling, musings on the subject of motivation or, if you will, “motivational moments.”

Most of us are motivated by one of two things: inspiration or desperation. Most successful people choose inspiration as their motivation.

“There’s always a way, if you’re committed.” - Tony Robbins. The question then becomes: “Are you committed?” Because if you are, if there is not already a way, you can make one.

Once you set a goal and commit to a goal, you can have only two results: You achieve the goal, or you have reasons (excuses) why you didn’t.

We tend to get confused about whether we really want to do something. We say we want to and then we don’t do it.

There are only three categories we can fall into:

a) I want to want to.

b) I want to.

c ) I will.

The only category that works is “I will.”

“Do or not do. There is no try.” - Yoda, in “The Empire Strikes Back”

Here’s a motivating question: What’s currently in your life that you would like not to be there, and what’s currently not in you life that you would like to be there?

What kind of lifestyle and career would get you up early, keep you up late and cause you to live each and every day with excitement, purpose and passion?

Get clear on the answer to that question, and you will be well on your way to designing a life well lived.

To be successful at anything in life, we need to take “the CPR Approach.” CPR stands for consistent, persistent and resistant:

Consistent in our actions.

Persistent in our drive.

Resistant to setbacks and all those who may tell us we can’t do it.

“We have met the enemy, and he is us.” - Pogo.

In other words, if we can conquer ourselves, we can conquer anything.

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to that mountain, move from here to there, and it shall be done. Nothing will be impossible for you.” - Jesus Christ.

Let’s pause and consider that last part for a moment. Nothing will be impossible for you.

If this were true in your life, what would you do?

Think in terms of family, career, lifestyle, giving back. This is an incredibly powerful statement once we get our heads around it and use it.

“Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better.” - Jim Rohn. Instead of complaining and wishing, take the necessary steps to make yourself stronger.

In my practice, I have come to believe there is no such thing as a “resistant client.” I just have to become better and better as a therapist.

“You can have anything you want. You just can’t have everything you want.” - Peter McWilliams, author of “Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts” (Prelude Press, $8.95).

This is about choice, focus and persistence. We need to decide what we want and then persistently go for it.

At the same time, we need to realize that choosing what to go for means there will be things we cannot go for, because time is a limited product.

“I would rather be paid 1 percent of 100 people’s efforts than 100 percent of my own efforts.” - J. Paul Getty. In other words, how can you work smarter instead of harder?

“If you have a big enough why, the how will follow.” - Tony Robbins. The problem for most of us is that we don’t have a big enough why.

“Chance favors the prepared mind.” - Louis Pasteur. Think about this as you spend the next evening in front of the TV. For what are you preparing your mind?

According to Mary Pipher, therapist and author of “Reviving Ophelia”: “It’s become clearer and clearer to me that if families just let the culture happen to them, they end up fat, addicted, broke, with a house full of junk and no time.”

“On the road to success, you’re not just learning from your own experiences.” - Rick Patino, new Boston Celtics coach and author of “Success Is a Choice” (Broadway Books, $25).

You’ve heard the phrase, “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel”?

What these two quotes mean is there are lots of people out there who are doing or who have done what you want to do.

Here’s a suggestion: Call them up, take them to lunch and ask them how they do what they do. Most people are honored by such a request.

I hope I’ve offered you some solutions you can take home and to work. I’ll close with a question:

If you use one of these 16 suggestions each day for the next two to three weeks, how might your life be different a month from now?