Finding a powerful enough Why to fuel your Passion
Motivation. The reason someone has for doing something.
It seems like such a simple word with a simple definition. Do you know what motivates you?
You may be motivated to get up in the morning to go to work but what’s the real purpose behind that? Is it so that you can collect a paycheck, buy groceries, afford the car you drive that gets you to work? Or is it because you love what you do? Maybe you mentor people, teach individuals new things, enjoy watching others succeed, want to invest in your own development, or you want to afford the things for your children that you may not have had.
The reasons are endless, and unique to each of us. Every goal you set, wish you have, or routine you’ve committed to has its own motivation.
For example, the motivation behind creating this site is complex. After I lost my weight, I had this voice in my head prompting me to share my story so that others would be inspired and know that it is never too late to change their lives.
Life happens though, and I got sidetracked. Over the years, I would have a gentle reminder every now and then, like when I successfully ran a half marathon, on the 5 year anniversary of my weight loss, or seeing someone else struggle climbing a flight of stairs. What I have learned is that if the why behind my motivation isn’t strong enough, then I won’t make the change to my daily routine to try and achieve a goal to fulfill that motivation.
So why now? What is my why and my motivation?
After 15 years at the same company, I find myself in a completely new situation. Instead of driving 20 minutes to work each day and leading a team, I now have over an hour drive and am in more of an individual contributor role. Instead of listening to a few songs on my drive to work, I fill the time by listening to podcasts to learn how to be greater than I was yesterday.
I listen to The Ziglar Show with Kevin Miller, The Art of Charm with Jordan Harbinger, and Side Hustle School with Chris Guillebeau on a consistent basis. The common theme is to inspire others to become what their true potential is or to do something that you are passionate about while creating a side business. I want to do that. I want people to know that they can achieve their goals and live the life they were meant to.
Listening to these shows and hearing the positive stories feeds my motivation and makes me want to inspire others like Jonah Berger and my wife Allison inspired me.
Several months ago I attended a workshop focused on how parents can advocate for their children with disabilities. I met Jonah Berger. When he walked up to me and introduced himself, I didn’t realize he was one of the speakers. And I didn’t realize that he has CMT. Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) is a degenerative nerve disease that has impacted Jonah since he was a child. When he was younger, his parents sat him down to explain how he was different. Rather than giving in to the disease, Jonah decided to live his life to the fullest, and has done things many people without CMT won’t do, like climb Mt. Elbert and write his own book.
He’s had a lot of challenges he has had to overcome, and he uses his inspiring story to teach children how to advocate for themselves.
At the same workshop, I was thinking of my
wife, Allison. Allison was born hard of hearing.
After many years of speech therapy with her parents advocating for her, and learning to advocate for herself, she is now a Pediatric Audiologist diagnosing hearing loss in infants and children. Many parents find it difficult to be positive when their child gets diagnosed with a hearing loss disability. My wife, her success, and her life story serve as an inspirational reminder to those parents that regardless of the disability, their child can live happy, successful, and fulfilling lives.
Regardless of whether you’re living with a disability, you’re overweight, depressed, or just can’t find out how to make that next successful change to your career, I want you to know that you CAN do it. I did, and I believe in you. It is never too late.
Over the coming months, I’ll be adding posts that speak to things in a fitness or professional development related category starting with this post. I encourage you all to add comments and share as we learn together.
So tell me, what are some of your goals and what is the motivation or the “why” behind it?