Need Motivation or a Legitimate Reason to be Motivated

So last night I was in a bit of a funk. I hate to admit this when I want to be a positive role model in the world. Most of my frustration is due to an impending IRS audit and the time this is stealing away from me doing something productive and constructive. I have allowed it to put my head in a really unhelpful place at times! One of the habits that got me to start my first business in 2002 and has kept me in business since then, is of seeking out uplifting self-help books at times like this.

 My ‘hope’ is always that they will point out reminders I need, help to reinforce things that I have not fully ingrained yet or teach me something I have not yet learned. Often I think we understand a lot on an intellectual level but don’t actually LIVE it and act on it. Mostly, I believe that we need to hear something many times before it becomes a part of who we are and how we live our lives.

First I started reading Michael J Fox’s new book, Always Looking Up, and about his last nine years of living life with Parkinson’s Disease. While most of the book displays his courage and great sense of humor, he is human and touched me with his occasional sadness and anger. One simple passage stuck with me that perhaps is no different than the fear we all have of letting life pass us by without us fulfilling our potential:

“Sometimes when channel surfing, I am ambushed by the image of a younger, healthier me. Usually, I just carry on clicking, giving it no more thought than I would an infomercial. There are times though, I confess, when I will pause and set the remote on the coffee table for a minute or two – sometimes longer.”

Are you letting down the younger and healthier you? If so, it’s time to dream again and act to avoid living with regret.

 Then I opened Brian Souza’s book, Become Who You Were Born to Be. When I first looked at it, I thought “just another self help book” and the only reason I got it was because it was endorsed by Stephen Covey and had a chapter about Richard Branson. I could not have been more wrong. This book is a knockout. It is packed with brief biographies of astonishing life stories about people who have been through infinitely more challenges than I can even imagine – someone who went blind at 13, another who survived the Bataan Death March in World War Two. Then the author elaborates and poses jugular questions.

This week I want to urge you to pick up this book so it is on hand next time you have a funk! I got it out of my local library and later today will buy it. That way I can write all over the thing and take it with me over the holidays when I have more time to think things through.

I could share 500 ideas and inspiring thoughts from this book. Maybe later. I will share three. Two are from Souza and the other is from the Bible.

He starts the book with his life story and how he was in this high-paying corporate job by 27. Then six family members died unexpectedly within a few months including a 36 year-old cousin: “I had finally come to the realization that meaning was more important than money, that purpose was more important than power, and that giving was more important than getting. I realized that the person I was becoming was not the person I wanted to be.”

So he quit his job and took three months off with his wife to travel. Then he started attending motivational seminars and reading a lot. But he realized he was not looking for motivation. What he wanted was a good reason to be motivated – a purpose!

“Just as musicians make music, poets must write, and artists must paint, we all have a unique gift designed for a specific vocation that will bring both meaning and purpose to our lives. True joy and happiness will continue to elude us until we use that gift to become who we were born to be.”

Every self-respecting book on networking and building business relationships talks about the importance of bringing something to the table and giving first. Souza concludes his book by asking we all open our hearts and souls to this:

Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give, and gifts will be given to you;
A good measure, packed together,
Shaken down, and overflowing,
Will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
Will in return be measured out to you.
Luke 6:27-38

Please pass this on to those important to you and share the wealth!