Monday, May 27, 2013

Motivational Monday


PEOPLE OFTEN SAY THAT MOTIVATION DOESN'T LAST.
WELL, NEITHER DOES BATHING - 
THAT'S WHY WE RECOMMEND IT DAILY.
(Zig Ziglar)

I used to think there was something wrong with me when I'd lose steam on a project or with an idea. Why was I so weak, so distracted, so easily swayed by negativity? Why couldn't I keep the positive oomph going?

When I first read Mr. Ziglar's quote, it made me laugh. But then it got me thinking. Expecting myself to stay motivated consistently and effortlessly was like expecting the good-smelling benefits of Monday's shower to last until Friday. That's asking a lot of some soap and shampoo, just like it's asking a lot of my heart and my mind to stay positive and strong against the onslaught of rejection and doubt and worry.

So, by changing the way I looked at motivation, I changed how hard I was being on myself. I now like to think of it as giving myself a daily dose of motivation, kind of like taking a motivational multivitamin every day. 

How do you stay motivated, whether it's in regards to writing or losing weight or in some other area? Do you find it easy or is it a struggle for you, too?

17 comments:

  1. LOL - that quote is AWESOME! And absolutely TRUE!

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  3. the quote speaks volumes!! my family motivates me...love it

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  4. Having buddies going through the same struggles is great motivation. So when somebody falls, someone is there to pick him up.

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    1. Very true! Not only can we help each other up, we also really do understand what the other person is going through.

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  5. Great quote!
    I like to 'streak'. That's how I stay motivated. ;)
    I mark a calendar with diet/exercise/writing and because I like to see the marks (and not the lack thereof) it helps to keep me motivated and moving forward even on 'blah' days.

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    1. Great idea! I read something similar once - use a giant wall calendar and mark the days with Xs to create a chain. No one wants to break the chain. :)

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  6. It's definitely a struggle for me to stay motivated. I think what helps me most are the writers I've met who are going through the same thing. The pep talks we give each other really help!

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    1. It's funny, because as much as you don't want others to have problems etc, it often helps to see how other people handle things.

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  7. Madeline, you always have the best quotes! I leave your blog feeling better about myself every time. This is another wonderful one. I'm going to try to go easier on myself today. Thanks!

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    1. Thank you so much! I'm happy to hear you're going to give yourself a bit of a break today. :)

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  8. My motivation ebbs and flows. I've learnt to live with it, and use the 'damage limitation' method - with writing it means at least thinking about my WIP in the hope a bright idea forces its way in, and with exercise it means controlling what I eat on the days I should have been going to the gym but didn't!

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    1. I think learning to live with that ebb and flow is the trick...and learning to not beat ourselves up over it so much. :)

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  9. Augh it's hard isn't it? I've been reading a book called Creating Your Best Life (Miller). It's a positive psychology approach to our goals, including things like motivation. It's been really invigorating! Best to you in your efforts.

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    1. Thank you, Julie! And good luck to you, too. At least we're trying, right? :)

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