You know that exciting rush of endorphins you get when a new idea strikes you like lightning? You’ve suddenly had a breakthrough idea to make a dream or a goal come true. This is inspiration. Fast forward three, maybe six months and you are feeling defeated and stuck. Your searching for your motivation, inspiration, and miracles in a maze of corn.
First, don’t beat yourself up. Extend yourself some grace.
We ALL have goals and ideas that we aren’t really certain how we’ll actually accomplish.
Things or plans we want, but don’t really know how to get. I remember generic coaches throwing the SMART acronym at me like confetti.
It was fluttering all around and a few things were sticking but mostly it was just a big cut up mess.
I don’t believe in the SMART method of goal setting and luckily I found an amazing coach who didn’t either.
I had been attempting to use that method because so many coaches and teachers said it was the go-to plan for achieving one’s goals.
Alas, like so many other things in life, just because the majority says it, doesn’t make it so. In fact, if the majority is saying it, you should usually run the other way. Because the majority are not wealthy, financially independent, goal crushing, awesome sauce, life-loving individuals.
[bctt tweet=”If you want to be in the top 1-2% of anything in life, you won’t get there following the majority. ” username=””]
Get Over Your Fear of Failure
This is huge. Fear of failure freezes people better than Elsa on a cold day. And sadly, many people allow this first hurdle to set them back years, even decades.
Women, in particular, seem to have this with business. They take a business failure so personal…, like it’s somehow tethered directly to their self-worth.
Want to know a secret?
It’s not.
Men for whatever reason usually know this. They take action and risks. Sometimes it results in an epic failure and they end up bankrupt. They shake it off and start all over again. Walt Disney went belly up with his first animation studio in 1922. He moved to California, started again and knocked it out of the park. That’s motivation.
George Foreman blew his boxing fortune and nearly ended up homeless. He came back with the Foreman Grill and made a fortune.
Steve Jobs built a multi-million dollar company by age 23 before he got fired from Apple. He kept at it and years later became the CEO of the company he was fired from.
Donald Trump has built many businesses. A few have failed but he always kept working hard and taking new risks, therefore he has business successes that outweigh his flops.
Richard Branson can say the same. They never let a strikeout or two keep them from playing the game.
[bctt tweet=”I’ve always believed it isn’t money that separates the rich and poor. It’s the willingness to take action, and take it again if you fall down.” username=””]
Does privilege help? Not if you are the type of character who falls down and doesn’t get back up.
I’ve seen too many born wealthy lose it all and too many born into poverty build empires for me to believe anything other than this: wealth is a result of action driven mindset.
Congratulations Oprah for always taking a chance on yourself and your ideas!
This woman was certainly not born into privilege and nothing was handed to her. She took action. And if she hit a roadblock or setback, she found a way around or over. She believed in herself and her ideas. That’s a faith we all could use.
Prioritize Daily Action
So as it applies to you, take daily action no matter what. This goes for anything. Do the thing you want to do and don’t worry about the results. It doesn’t matter if no one sees it, hears it or buys it.
What matters is that you get into the energy of creating. When you do this you shift your vibes and start telling the universe you’re serious about receiving your goals. While your inspiration gave you the idea, your motivation is why you will keep going.
Do what you do with joy. Who cares about readers, followers, etc. If you are TAKING ACTION, you are SUCCEEDING.
The results will follow when you stay the course and have faith.
[bctt tweet=”Inspiration gets you started but motivation is not a once and done kinda thing.” username=””]
Get Over the “It’s Already Been Done”
When Microsoft introduced computers into people’s homes it didn’t stop Mac from creating a laptop years later. At&t was around decades before Verizon. Pepsi certainly didn’t put Coca-Cola out of business.
Millions of coaches, bloggers, business owners, and brands co-exist.
Your idea might not be original, revolutionary, or life-altering but the way you present it and serve your customers is always unique to you.
No one can be you. And you can’t be someone else, which is why copycats often fail.
A thriving community is made up of healthy competitors. #communityovercompetion.
[bctt tweet=”There are always people who need what you have to offer in the exact and unique way you offer it. ” username=””]
As a coach, I’ve been thrilled to work with some individuals, and others I refer to someone else who I know has better skills to connect with that person’s needs. This is the same reason you choose the salon you go to, the college you attend, the place you buy your clothes etc.
It’s all been done but there are unique reasons you choose who you see and where you go. That applies to your ideas too. You are not exempt from this universal truth. People will choose you for their own reasons.
Get Over “All the Things” Overwhelm
Honestly, I was just here not that long ago. In fact, I’d say I’m still climbing out of this phase.
I got to a point in my business, where I was getting overwhelmed by all the things. I wasn’t ready to take on an assistant but the list of to-dos simply wasn’t physically or mentally possible to do with my schedule or family life.
Frustration was an understatement.
I was in tears a few evenings over the slow pace at which I was getting things accomplished in my business.
I sincerely thought I would have completely replaced my day job at least three months prior. And while I have been able to cut back on my hours, I certainly could not sustain myself full-time yet from my business.
The frustration was crushing my desire to continue. But my motivation is my family and my desire to help others, so I keep going.
This is where SMART goes directly into the trash can and my 90-day coaching from Todd Herman came in crucial.
Focus on Return on Investment
I had to make smaller daily tasks that were all action driven. Focus on ROI and leave the rest behind or outsource it when I can.
Most business owners have a LENGTHY list of tasks. As a blogger or coach that list is extensive.
But does creating a new pin bring more revenue than sending out a rockin’ email to my list? Does posting on Facebook bring in more clients than offering free webinar training? Taking a new e-course will not benefit you more than going to a live retreat and connecting with potential clients.
Pick your battles wisely. Do what feels aligned and what brings results first. The rest can wait.
If it’s something you must do, and you aren’t good at it or it takes you a ton of time, you likely need to find a way to outsource it. For me, this is site design and social media management.
Hiring someone to do these two things alone saves me so much time, and time is money.
If it takes me 5 hours a day for three weeks straight to work on site design but I can get someone else experienced to do the same amount of work in 2-3 days, you bet your booty I’m forking over the money to get r’ done.
Let go of some of the need to control and get yourself some help when you need it. And if you truly can’t afford any help right now, focus only on the things that bring in income.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
It’s not actually comfortable.
While in Hell don’t stop for a hotel. I love that saying because so many people think they are okay just staying put. But if you stay put, your dreams will go up in flames.
Even if your life is great, you should always be learning, growing, and experiencing.
Take chances talking to new people. Trying a new item on the menu. Going to that dance class you’ve always wanted to try.
Comfort zones are deceptively safe. When you are scared to step outside your comfort zone, you will never follow through on your great ideas.
Comfort zones are ego driven and tell us, “Don’t do that, it isn’t safe. Or You’ll just make a fool of yourself.”
You have to muster up some courage.
Defy Your Ego
If you have a fear of public speaking, you are going to have to start much smaller. You could start by being a guest on a radio show or podcast. Tons of people will still hear you, but you feel less on the spot.
Then you could speak at a small gathering for friends and family. Work your way into a local community event or college class. Eventually, you might be on stage like your favorite speaker.
If you want to write for a major publication, you may have to start by entering a local newspaper. Then shift to a guest blog post. Or maybe you publish under a pen name, that gives you the confidence to put your work out there.
Building your faith is one of the best ways I know to get out of the dreaded comfort zone.
When you have a solid foundation of faith, you know that your steps are divinely inspired and guided. You know the Universe is conspiring for your greatest good when you go with your flow.
But you can’t stand still. Nothing in the universe stands still. Everything is in constant motion and change. Find your flow and go with it. Resistance results in drowning!
Motivation vs Inspiration
So many people get these two definitions confused.
When you get inspired, it’s that light bulb moment.
Inspiration can come from divine guidance, seeing someone else reach their dreams, or simply a stroke of luck. It’s that Aha moment.
Inspiration will not, however, keep you going for the long haul. I like to think of it like the starter of the car. But it isn’t the fuel.
The fuel is your motivation.
When people say they have no motivation to achieve their goals, I seriously want to cry.
Your motivation is your self-worth, your family, your desire to help or give to a cause greater than one’s self.
Motivation is the REASON why you do something.
Now obviously, it doesn’t matter so much if the goal is trivial.
I have no motivation to go skydiving. Call me crazy but jumping out of a perfectly good airplane isn’t my thing and I have found alternatively great ways to get an adrenaline rush.
But for our big goals like owning a home, building a business, traveling, creating a charity, etc…the motivation is usually something we hold so near and dear to our hearts.
We want a better life for our family. We desire to give and help others.
When people give up on their dreams or let fear fill them with a gamut of excuses, it’s like saying their reasons for succeeding aren’t worth it.
So we evaluate.
Is the dream/goal something that truly matters to me and my values? (If it doesn’t set a better goal)
Does my love/respect for my motivation/reason outweigh my fears? (If you have integrity, the answer is always yes)
Make Your Dreams/Goals a Priority
So my advice for gaining motivation is simply this:
Stop making 5-year plans.
Identify the why and the who behind your goal.
Then set daily intentions that add up to a monthly or quarterly goal.
Hire a Coach to help you with accountability and action steps if you need to (we all could use a good coach periodically).
Every single day you should be putting forth some effort toward what it is you are trying to achieve. You are the only person in control of your priorities. If your goals aren’t on the daily list of actions, that’s a mindset issue.
[bctt tweet=”Your dreams deserve at least an hour of your time every day. ” username=””]
xoxo-Deanna