Are you motivated or inspired?
Yesterday I was talking with a client and we were discussing the level of effort needed to make our goals happen and naturally the discussion moved onto the subject of motivation. He told me that he was highly motivated and would make his goals happen. I asked him what was motivating about his goals (he wants to set up a martial arts club for at-risk young men) and he said he wanted to give back because his martial arts had changed his life by giving him purpose and focus. So you were inspired by what happen to you and want to share your experiences? He said Yes!
As you read this story and when you think about your goals are you motivated or inspired?
There is a difference. Motivation is an internal force generated by an outside influence. It also tends to be what you need when you are doing something you don't really want to. Think about exercise, for some of us we need to be motivated to do exercise because we don't really want to do it. Having a job is another example, we are motivated to get up and go to a job we may not like because of the need to generate money but what if you did not need money, would you still get up and go to this job? What about WA, would you be working your way through the WA curriculum?
Inspiration comes from within without the need for an external influence. What if, like my client above, you want to share something or create something because it will help people in some way? Suppose this is you, how much effort would you need to make it happen? This is a trick question because there will be effort involved but it will feel like no effort. In fact you may actually enjoy the effort.
When considering your goals ask yourself the question "how will your life be different when get your goal, or what will having this goal do for you? How will it make you feel? By answering these questions you get to the inspiration behind the goals, it will be these things that will get you in front of the computer or taking action at times when you don't feel like it ... and enjoy the effort.
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I must admit that I am both motivated and inspired by my day job as some days I need the motivation to get there and other days I look forward to going. With the WA it is total inspiration and addiction. Addiction because if I cannot work on this because I have to go to my day job I feel guilty. Getting withdrawal symptoms already and I've only recently started.
Thanks Lis, it does become addictive and I love that you recognize how we use the feelings of motivation and inspiration - sort of like knowing when to use the carrot or the stick. Enjoy this time of discovery because everything is fresh, new and exciting. Imagine when all the efforts of now pay off and you have your goal, other feelings will dominate :)