Swag or slumped – it’s all about your mental attitude and motivation.
Motivation comes in different forms. What motivates me does not necessarily motivate you. We are all motivated by different ‘agents’. Perhaps it was my early socialization but I am tremendously self-motivated.
“Self motivation – the ability to do what needs to be done without influence from other people or situations.”
Swag – Finding A Reason To
People who are self-motivated can find a reason and strength to complete a task, even when the said task is very challenging. They do so without giving up or needing anyone to encourage them.
My now 18-year-old son had a tendency to be very impatient in completing his tasks, in particular those not related to school. He would set his proverbial bar very high. In doing so, he determined beforehand how long it should take to complete his tasks. Seldom did he take into consideration the fact that there are things outside of his control that may delay completion. When this happened, he became demotivated and began to question his abilities.
It is for this very reason why certain terms were and still are NOT entertained in my household. Terms such as, “Oh, I am no good,” “I am so stupid” or “I hate doing this.” I try to instil, through positive reinforcement, those values that lend themselves to self-motivation. It may sound strange but we all have the ability to be self-motivated. To this day, I encourage this in my son as self-motivation fosters consistency, and persistency and aids the individual in regrouping and trying again.
Motivation Is A Driving Force
For me, the word “Force” personifies strength or vigour, the exertion of extra energy to obtain a particular result. We frequently hear the saying, “If wishes were horses….” Well, the reality is WISHES ARE NOT HORSES!
Motivation is complimented or accompanied by strength of character. On its own, motivation is aimless and therefore must be fueled by strength and a desire to achieve a goal or target. Example: Needing to lose 20lbs in order to fit into a magnificent wardrobe for an upcoming Caribbean cruise. The motivation here is to be able to fit into my magnificent wardrobe with the goal, to lose 20lbs.
“Motivation is the powerful engine that moves you toward success and accomplishment in every area of your life.” Remez Sasson
Quality Of My Swag
My ‘swag’ is that of a person who is seemingly highly motivated. Years ago, I was having one of my “pep” sessions with some of my ‘mentees.’ One of them asked, “So, Miss Brown, what motivates you? You are always so positive. You are always happy. Seems you are the one Pharrell meant when he sang HAPPY.” I chuckled and responded, without even taking a breath, “My motivation is intrinsic!”I went on to explain that at this stage of my professional life, there is more gratification and satisfaction to me in being able to train, share my knowledge or be a positive role model to others. My experience and qualifications are more useful then rather than merely performing routine tasks and unless I can motivate or teach others, then boredom would set in.
There are those who are motivated by working, purely because their earnings pay the bills. Then, there are those who derive enormous satisfaction and fulfilment without consideration for their salary. Some are at one or the other end of the spectrum, while some are like me and are smack in the middle. I work in order to earn money but at the same time find my day-to-day work life intrinsically rewarding and satisfying.
Muster The Strength
We all have a built-in desire to achieve. What we want to achieve is personal to each of us and may change several times throughout our lives. “Change,” it is said, “is the only constant.” What motivates us at any given point will change according to said desire to achieve.
Are you able to muster the strength to keep going as changes occur in your evolving life? Can you motivate yourself or do you require others to give you a push? Do you swag or stumble through your challenges?
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Have a great day Swagging!
Clara