How Motivation Helps Forge the Path to Your Vision

If you wish to achieve your vision, it is important to understand your core values. In fact, in order to successfully define a vision that will result in personal happiness and fulfillment, you need to first identify your core values. Failing to understand your value system will likely lead to focusing on the wrong things. Even if your vision happens to align with your values, you may lack the motivation needed to persevere to achieve this vision. It is therefore important to fully realize and identify with ‘THE WHY’ (the motivation behind your vision), in order to stay focused through the challenges that will inevitably occur.

HOW YOUR VISION IMPACTS YOUR MOTIVATION AND WHY KNOWING YOUR ‘WHY’ IMPACTS YOUR VISION

Motivation is the reason you have for acting in a way that supports your actions towards achieving a goal. Motivation is your desire to execute or complete those actions. Motivation is determined by your WHY. Your WHY is tied to your core values. When you identify with your core values (Piety versus Power, Perfection versus Tranquility, etc.), you begin to understand your purpose. Everyone has a unique purpose, and therefore unique motivations. When you’ve identified your WHY, you’ve identified your purpose. When you identify your purpose, you can more easily identify your vision. And when you have a solid vision to work towards, one that is aligned with your values and priorities, you’ve created a self-sustaining circle where your motivations support your actions, which support your priorities and vision, which support your WHY.

Sometimes obstacles get in your way from making progress towards your vision. These obstacles are often in the form of fear. Fear in the form of avoidance of pain. Fear of losing something, fear of not being good, fear of rejection, or fear of being overly successful. When your motivations are strong and aligned with your values and vision, these obstacles tend to be minor distractions.

When we allow these obstacles to get in the way of our motivation, to hold us back, not only are we not living a fulfilling life, we are living a dull life. A life of fear is not a life that lends itself to joy, happiness, and fulfillment.

STAYING COMMITTED AND NAVIGATING THE TOUGH TIMES

Do you let obstacles get in your way and prevent you from making progress towards your vision? Do you give up, do you give in, or do you get down on yourself and/or others? Do you lose your motivation? None of these are a healthy response to an obstacle.

The good news is that when you understand your WHY, your motivation, in relation to your vision and values, you suddenly have a life map to help you navigate through these obstacles. When you know and feel the reason why you are passionate and inspired, the reason you want to live out your dreams, you then have the foundation to connect at levels that will keep you focused, dedicated, and devoted to keeping moving through every obstacle that comes your way.

CONNECTING WITH YOUR WHY – YOUR MOTIVATION

Once you are clear with your vision, your priorities and goals, and the possibilities you are creating, it is time to dig a little deeper to really connect with your WHY. If you need any refreshers, click on the relevant link to learn more. Allowing Your Values to Steer Your Success.  The Life of Your Dreams – Imagine the Possibilities.  Mindfulness to Achieve Your Destiny.  If you are ready to connect with your WHY, continue on to the following exercise.

IDENTIFY YOUR MOTIVATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY

• Identify your vision and your life’s dream.
• Ask yourself what is important about your vision/dream. What values are you fulfilling?
• Ask yourself FOUR times: What about my last answer is important to me?
• By the time you get to the fifth time you think about what is important about your vision/dream, you should feel it deeply. You should be drawn to tears or you should be tingling with excitement. If you are not, you might want to reconsider your core values and vision.
• To complete this exercise, to really drive your motivation home, write out this deep motivation that you just discovered – this important point that escalated your inner feelings – on a piece of paper along with your vision or dream.
• Refer to this slip of paper regularly, daily if possible. By keeping your destination in mind, along with your WHY, you will be less likely to allow obstacles to derail you on your journey in life.

And remember, as long as you know your WHY, and continue to relate to it, you are unlikely to get lost on your journey to happiness and fulfillment.

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