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Just about any and everything we do from day to day requires a certain amount of motivation to begin. We all know this and we all seek it to get ourselves jump-started into a task. I’m sure most of us have uttered the words (or some variation of them): “If I could just find some motivation to get this done.” And me being the sometimes extremely analytic person I am, I’ve gotten into some deep conversations with myself about where motivation comes from, and why it’s different from person to person.

Not too long ago, a Twitter friend of mine asked a question to her followers:

She’d gotten a number of responses, but I responded that she should just get up and do it. Even if she didn’t feel like it. I believed that once she did, she’ll gain some momentum. That usually happens for me, so why wouldn’t it work for her?

I’ve gotten numerous email from people looking for trainer and most of the time, at the end of explaining the reason they need a trainer, the words “and I just need someone to motivate me” pop up.  And I think: “Oh, I can do that! I can motivate you! No problem!” But a series of events usually occurs afterwards and ends with the person “losing motivation” and needing to start over, or be inspired again. It becomes pretty consistent that no matter how much I call myself motivating someone to workout or eat right or study or just get out of bed, true motivation doesn’t come from anything I could ever say or do. It comes from inside that person.

Think about it…

And we can even think in terms outside of just working out. Whether it’s studying for school and classes, taking the necessary steps to getting ahead in your career, writing your first book, raising your kids, getting a blog post done, going grocery shopping, or just getting off your couch to go run some much needed errands, the actual action of doing each of these things can’t be executed without YOU. Every single action you take (and non-action) starts with a thought. After that, you either go get it done, or you don’t. I believe you can choose to be inspired by things all around you and not everyone gets inspired by the same things. But, once you are inspired, the choice is yours.

We all love to feel successful and accomplished. Just going back to the feeling of knowing “hey, I did it” is enough to take the steps to get that feeling back. No one can take those steps for us. We can’t be forced into something we don’t truly want for ourselves. And until the fire in us is lit, nothing will be done. For me, I’m inspired by my friends’ testimonies of success and the blessings they receive everyday. I’m inspired when I see stories or movies of “rags to riches”. I’m inspired by quotes and songs and sayings that speak to whatever situation I’m in. All of these things motivate me into action. I have to do something. Not to fully emulate the exact same success, but to once again absorb that successful feeling. Even in the little things. It feels good, don’t it?

We are all constantly seeking motivation to get our butts up and do whatever it is we’ve set our hearts and minds to do. It’s truly never-ending.  But if we truly think about it, motivation really doesn’t come from an offering of a reward or a drill sergeant yelling at us to do it. The choice is ours and starts with just one thought. You either do it, or you don’t.

So, can motivation be found? Or is motivation really something that has to be found IN us? Let me know your thoughts!

Be Renewed!