Motivation

It’s a word that’s thrown around like confetti.

“*Insert book title here* is so motivational!”

“*Favorite workout trainer* motivates me so much!”

“I’m just not motivated to *X*”

We use it as either our fuel or our excuse. We think we either have it or we don’t, and if we don’t, we’re SOL.

I’m here to tell you to cut. that. crap. out.

Motivation is not some magical unicorn that comes and goes as it pleases, leaving you hoping it will stick around more often than not. It’s not a special skill that some people just have, and some people really don’t. It’s not a mystical potion that you can drink and receive superpowers to overcome your thoughts and feelings.

Motivation is just the kindling. It’s just a quote, or book, or podcast, or seminar, or personal insight that lights up your fire for a brief moment. Once that short burst of a flame has passed its prime, YOU are the deciding factor between either nurturing it into a sustainable source of heat and energy, or letting it fizzle out into oblivion.

It is NOT motivation’s fault that you haven’t been able to create that habit you’ve been dreaming of implementing. It is NOT motivation’s fault that you aren’t the person you wish you were. So stop blaming those things on a lack of motivation. That is not its job, and not at all what it was intended for.

Here’s the hard truth:

If you are not living the life you want to live, it is simply due to the culmination of choices that you have made in your life thus far.

The beautiful thing about that? Once you acknowledge this truth, you take back that much more of your power. And by taking back the power you have over your life, that’s where change can start to happen. It doesn’t have to be all at once; you change your thoughts, you change your life.

All you have to do is be 1% better than you were yesterday, and then you’re on your way. If motivation is the kindling, then ACTION is the big ol’ logs that keep that fire burning long term. So just keep piling on those logs one by one, friend. You have everything you need to do it.