Motivation Never Lasts: 5 Questions to Change Your Life

I do enjoy motivational speakers. Their words act as a blast of positive energy but just as the perk of coffee fades and the charge of a Red Bull diminishes, so does motivation. Somewhere along the way, we must find motivation from the inside out. Yes, it is great to have reminders but when all that reminds us is from the outside, we feel we are on a long deserted highway and our fuel tank is on "E". We are praying that we will find a gas station before we run out of gas.

I often get labeled as a Motivational Speaker- nothing could be further than the truth. Although I can be motivating; I am a roll your sleeves up mechanic. I am willing to get dirty to fix what needs to be fixed. Although this is who I am today, it is not who I was when I was younger. I remember a time in my 30's where I was in a real bad stretch financially. My business was struggling. A friend sent me an inspirational email about staying positive. I thought it was just what I needed. I printed it out, hung it up and promised to read it more than daily. I was diligent for the first few days but the motivation wore off and eventually it was covered up with invoices I could not pay. Years later I was cleaning and I found the email as I was cleaning. Moral of the story - hanging something motivating doesn't mean you'll stay motivated. Life is always changing, creating new demands and challenges. Today's motivation is tomorrow's garbage.

My quest has always been about sustainability- how we can make change last. Quick fixes never work but who wants to spend years talking about changing? The solution came quite simply. It was when I realized that I had to stop trying to do and just started to be. Doing is what has to happen to achieve a result. Being puts us in the correct sandbox so that when we "do the do" we are capable of achieving our result and that is empowerment. At times it means recognizing that we are in the wrong sandbox or getting our butts up and moving because it is time to change. Sometimes it means we have to dig deeper or faster or put the shovel down and grab a pick. Empowerment is our ability to have what we need come from within. It is organic.

Empowerment is liberating. It will free you from the constraints of always hoping, wanting, and wishing. It is spoken as naturally as "All I need is with me now." If that was true, true in your being, what would you do right now? What have you been putting off that would change everything if you did it? I want you to really think about it and think of something specific. There is power in a question. A question can change your life. 16 years ago, when I was addicted to drugs, I asked myself, "What if I could change?" Today I am living proof.

Once you have identified what it is, ask yourself, "What has been preventing me so far from doing it?"
Also ask, "Who must I be to follow through on my commitment?"
Next, ask yourself "What must I believe about myself or the situation to do it?"
Lastly, "What are three actions I must take to show myself my commitment is genuine and gain momentum?"

If you answer each of these questions honestly you will be well on your way. You may notice that questions 3 and 4 are designed to get you to find the resources within you or to learn how to be. Yes, there may be resources we need outside of ourselves to fully achieve the results we desire but you are now digging in the right sandbox.

If you desire a little coaching on your answers please feel free to email them to me at doitnow@getlifecoaching.com. I would love to see your work.

Until next month, I wish you a month of love and passion.