What motivates your actions?

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Ligia — 14 Comments ↓

What motivates you to do what you do?

Here is what I learned from Tony Robbins’ video at the bottom of this page. If you decide to watch it, I apologize for any language you hear that may be inappropriate.

What is it that you really want to accomplish? Selfish desires are not big enough motivators.

Have you noticed that many times people that have received everything they needed to have an education, all the resources’ for a great career end up in a drug or alcohol rehabilitation center somewhere and never recover? On the other hand, people who have been through difficult situations like poverty, sexual, physical or verbal abuse – often end up contributing most to society?

Usually when people decide to start eating more vegetables and become more health conscious, it’s either because their health is failing or someone close to them could have avoided a serious illness if only had they had a healthier diet. A major decision as such usually comes through some pain.

Why is that?

Intellectual knowledge is not everything. Many people go to school, get a diploma, have some kind of know-how and never apply it. Decision is actually the leading force to our actions.

Have you ever failed in life? Who hasn’t? What are the reasons people give for having failed? They say didn’t have time, money, technology, contacts, experience, management. Those things might even be true, but they aren’t really the defining factors. The resources are never really what lead to the results, but the resourcefulness (creativity, determination, loving care, curiosity, passion, and resolve).

You usually make three decisions that define your destiny:

  1. What you’re going to focus on – a feeling; the past, the present, or the future; yourself or others? Whatever you decide to focus on either consciously or unconsciously will determine a certain meaning.
  2. What does the situation mean to you? Is it going to be the beginning of something great or is it going to be the end? The moment you answer these questions, you’ll define your course of action.
  3. How are you going to react to a specific situation? Are you going to give up or are going to move forward?

Those three decisions you make in a crucial moment in life will define your destiny. It might both make all the difference in world and impact countless lives or just lead you to a simple mediocre life.

edison_photoDo you remember Thomas Edison? While he was experimenting with electricity, trying to create a light bulb, which we so easily take for granted, he simply failed 10,000 times. Can you imagine if he had given up after those failed attempts? We might still be living in a dark world. After all, he not only invented the light bulb, but the whole electric lighting system.

The way you view the world is ultimately what shapes the meaning, the emotion and the action you take in your lives in the long run. To find out what motivates you in life – what you really want to accomplish, you must know which “need” to fulfill in your life.

There are 6 basics needs that human beings have:

  1. certainty – the need to be sure of something;
  2. uncertainty – the need for variety, like surprises – good or bad;
  3. significance – the need to feel important at some level;
  4. connection – the need to love and be loved;
  5. growth – the need to accomplish something and reach a level of maturity;
  6. contribution – the need to give of yourself to a cause, a community, to society;

Everyone has all those needs; however, each person tends to focus more on certain ones than the others. Whatever “needs” you focus on, they will result in certain emotions which will lead you to take certain actions.

So, make a conscious effort to understand what really motivates you – what is the need you wish to fulfill and target it until you accomplish it.

P.S. If you would like to exchange some ideas, please contact me on Facebook.

Ligia

Thank you for visiting my blog. Well, believe it or nor I’m originally from Brazil, but I married to an American and have lived in California for the past 14 years. When I first came to America, I was able to work at some regular jobs as a secretary, a teacher’s aide, and an interpreter. However, at the end of 2009, I found myself without a job and competing with a younger generation. Get the picture? Today, I’m very thankful I found Better Women Network, a concerned group of women supporting and mentoring other women, regardless of their age, to help them learn how to make money online using an online platform called Global NPN. Please, read my Earnings Disclaimer.
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  • Jean

    Great post Ligia – Thanks for sharing. I totally agree, “The way you view the world is ultimately what shapes the meaning, the emotion and the action you take in your lives.”

    • Absolutely, Jean! As they say, “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. And the reactions follow them. Thanks for stopping by.

  • Very interesting post! I struggle with a fear of failure and the notion that it’s not the lack of resources that leads to failure but the lack of resourcefulness really hit home with me.

    • Hi Laura, I totally understand what you’re saying. You grew up in a country of plenty. So, I’m assuming you didn’t “lack anything,” because when you do, you become very resourceful. Thanks for stopping by.

  • Thanks Ligia – emotion is what keeps us going and fear is the killer. Too often people allow fear and all the ‘what ifs’ to kill their excitement and emotion. – Enjoyed your post – I found it energizing – Corinne

    • Thanks, Corinne – that’s exactly it! When I decided to come to America, I had all kinds of thoughts come to my mind which obviously lead to fear. But, I kept going without looking back.

  • Love this post Ligia! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    • Thanks for stopping by Sonia!

  • what a wonderfully constucted post Ligia. Excellent. I too have been influenced by attending Tony Robbins events……. but the most vital thing before we do anything is what Napolean Hill called having a “defined purpose” . When we have a defined purpose then our motivation has a goal to reach, our enthusiasm can see the the aim and move toward it…..

    very impressed with your content….excellent.

    Now, I feel you need to get that primary word press blog set up so you get all the advantages it can bring you!

    Best wishes

    Peter

    • Exactly, that need that you want fulfilled will lead you to a defined purpose and will make you take action.

      What an honor Pete to have you come and read my post. Thanks for the encouragement!

  • Great post Ligia! You definitely need to be very clear on your “why”. This will be the fuel that keeps you going long after some may have quite. Thanks for sharing this.

    • And the lacking of something is the force behind your “why”. That real bad wanting will keep you moving forward.
      Thanks for stopping by Stephanie!

  • I love the six basic human needs. Great job!

    • Thanks to Tony Robbins we learned about those basic needs. Thank you for stopping by Marna.



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