In the culture we live in, there are many great ways to get motivated. There are motivational people to watch, books to read and highlight reels all designed to help us feel good, but I think so much of that motivation gets wasted. We get that emotional bump, we feel motivated and just that quickly we are back looking for the next thing to re-motivate us. I’ve met so many “motivational junkies” looking for that next motivational high to get them through. Do you see the problem here?
To make the most of the motivation, we have to be able to generate our own energy when emotions are not enough. We must develop the ability to produce energy in spite of how we feel. So to the big question, how do you create the energy you need to power forward when you're not feeling motivated, and your emotions seem to be failing you?
Feeling good gives our lives meaning for sure, and what would life be like without feelings? Love, hate, the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat. Even if I could, I would not want to live a life without emotion. However, although emotion is a fire starter, it is not stainable fuel. Our feelings will betray us from time to time.
The answer begins with developing a clear picture of your identity. You’ve got to be doing more than getting yourself motivated… you need something more substantial to rely on than just trying to feel good or feel right.
Understanding who you are and what your strongest beliefs are, and then using that to create a filter to process emotion through, is the vital first step down the road to everything you want in life. This takes intentional work to build a foundation for your life that success, purpose, and meaning can thrive from.
What are you currently doing to grow besides trying to stay motivated? Are you prepared to make the most of the opportunities in your life, and are you confident you can fight through the hard times we are all sure to face? Are you living your life with emotion, or because of emotion?
Answer these questions:
Are you fully taking advantage of the opportunities in your life?
Are you stuck in the same old negative cycle with no clear way out?
Name the sources of strength in your life.
Take five minutes and write a description of the way a negative emotion seems to sidetrack your life continually.
Motivation is transient and unrealiable. Deciding who you will BE through highs and lows is lasting, and is the strength you will need to stay true to what you said you would do when times get tough. The Mayhem Mindset process is designed to help you do just that.
Jim Hensel
