A couple of years ago, I wrote a few articles from my own personal soapbox - and lately, I have been feeling like climbing back on it. Why? Because I've had a few conversations in the past couple of weeks with people who aren't willing to challenge themselves to embrace their greatness and make a real change for themselves, their family and their community (even though they say they want to).
According to my good friends over at Wikipedia.com, a soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject.
The term originates from when speakers would stand on a wooden box meant for holding soap. The term is also used metaphorically to describe a person engaging in an often flamboyant, impromptu or unofficial public speaking - as in "She's on her soapbox" or "Get off your soapbox". A modern form of the soapbox is a blog or a website on which a user publishes one's thoughts to whoever reads the page.
Now, I'm not one for the political topics, but as you've probably realized by now, I have some strong opinions about things and am not always quiet about sharing them. I've decided to climb waaaaaay up on that wooden box about a few topics that seem to always come up when I'm coaching clients. And since I kinda like being on my soapbox, I'm going to hang out there for a while.
One of the first articles I wrote from my soapbox was about motivation - and it's still relevant for many people today. Why? Because I still hear people say things like:
"I'm just not motivated.""I need someone to keep me motivated.""I start out strong and lose motivation.""I want a coach to keep me motivated.""I'm attending this conference/seminar/workshop/retreat to get motivated."Why, why, why do people keep looking to others to give them what they already have???? (stomping on my box)
Let's take a look at what motivation is:
Motive is an impulse that causes a person to act. Motivation is an internal process that makes a person move toward a goal. Motivation, like intelligence, can't be directly observed. Instead, motivation can only be inferred by noting a person's behavior.
So, what does that mean?
Motivation causes people to act.Motivation is internal.Motivation can't be observed.Motivation is only inferred because of what you DO.What, of those four things, has anything to do with someone other than you? Absolutely nothing. No one can give you motivation. No one can keep you motivated.
Motivation comes from inside of you. It's your internal drive that moves you to act on a goal that you say you want. If you aren't motivated to act, it's because your desire to reach your goal has not yet become bigger than your excuses, your comfort zone and your fears. Others can inspire you, teach you, help you, and encourage you (through workshops, seminars, coaching, CDs, formal education, and books). And that's great...we all need that. But the will to ACT can only come from you.
So, when you need a dose of real motivation - don't look to me or others. Get up. Find a mirror. Look at the reflection. That is all the motivation you need.
RADICAL Success Coach Doreen Rainey helps her clients define success for themselves and then get the guts to go after it. Ready for your RADICAL change? Grab your Radical Success Kit. Get unstuck, get moving and get results with your FREE RADICAL Success Starter Kit with: 7 RADICAL Tips, an audio of 5 Characteristics of Successful People Audio and subscription to Get RADICAL ezine.
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