Self-Improvement | Motivation | The Self Improvement Blog

Self Improvement And Motivation – Who Do You Think You Are?

January 29, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

The need for self improvement and motivation is often one of the big starting points in the whole business of “how to change your life”. But, before we go any further with the subject of self improvement and motivation, let’s pause and reflect for a moment.

What is really implied here?

Firstly that “I have a self”, and that this “self” that I have is incomplete, not fully functional, or in some way in need of improvement.

Secondly, that I need motivating to improve myself and change my life, and this is often because there is a part of me (or maybe several parts of me) that don’t actually want to see any “self improvement” and are actually quite happy with how things are right now thank you very much!

Let’s briefly deal with second point, why do you need help on how to motivate yourself? Why can’t you just decide to do something and then just do it? What’s stopping you?

There is an “elephant in the room”!

The internet is awash with “self-help” materials – articles, books and courses on “how to motivate yourself”. Endless advice, tips, tricks and lists of “self motivation tips”.

However in my view, and based on my own direct lived and observed experience, most of this completely misses the point.

Who and how do you think you are (and why)?

Let’s look a little more closely at the “self” bit of this business of self improvement and motivation.

If you were able to dedicate sufficient time to the enquiry of: “Who am I?” – or if you don’t have the time but are prepared to take the word of those who have pursued this enquiry – at least as a working hypothesis – what you would find is that ultimately there is no separate “I” in the sense of an ego as a “stand alone entity” that is distinct from everything and everyone else.

I have been down this line of enquiry myself – as a by product of some extremely testing situations that have persisted over many months and years – and it is quite scary (but ultimately liberating) to see all the layers of who “I” am peeled away.

So if I asked you right now: “Who are you?” What would immediately pop into your head: “mother of”, “wife of”, “ex-husband of”, “manager at”, “director of”, “free thinker”, “free spirit” etc?

The thing is, if you persist with this and look deep enough in your never ending quest to try to “find yourself” (does this sound familiar?) all you will find is a large amount of ideas about me, thoughts that I have, concepts, ideas and images of me – all the stuff that makes up “how I see myself” and that defines “my self image”.

At the crustacean rock bottom sea-bed level of your THINKING mind, what you will find is that there is nothing there except an “operating system” of largely automatically pre-programmed thoughts and responses that runs the bag of bones that we like to THINK of as “me”.

There is no thought based self to improve!

There is just a large bunch of software that we can upgrade, tweak and re-install!

As with any computing system it is very useful to have some degree of insight and understanding into how the hardware side of things functions, how the software runs and also some understanding of the operating environment.

Or to put it in more conventional language, it is helpful and resourceful to have cognitive insight and to become informed and educated about the processes and mechanisms of “how to change your life”, and to have access to some transformational tools and processes that can facilitate that change.

Change your mind to find out: How To Change Your Life.

Stephen Warrilow, runs an informational site Zen Tools for tough times suggesting and providing practical resources that can show you how to change your life and also to help you survive imposed change and tough times.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Warrilow
http://EzineArticles.com/?Self-Improvement-And-Motivation—Who-Do-You-Think-You-Are?&id=6317515

Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: motivation, self improvement, self identity

Motivation Theory

January 24, 2012 By Admin Leave a Comment

By Richard Romando -

The word motivation is coined from the Latin word “movere”, which means to move. Motivation is defined as an internal drive that activates behavior and gives it direction. The term motivation theory is concerned with the processes that describe why and how human behavior is activated and directed. It is regarded as one of the most important areas of study in the field of organizational behavior. There are two different categories of motivation theories such as content theories, and process theories. Even though there are different motivation theories, none of them are universally accepted.

Also known as need theory, the content theory of motivation mainly focuses on the internal factors that energize and direct human behavior. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Alderfer’s ERG theory, Herzeberg’s motivator-hygiene theory (Herzeberg’s dual factors theory), and McClelland’s learned needs or three-needs theory are some of the major content theories.

Of the different types of content theories, the most famous content theory is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. Maslow introduced five levels of basic needs through his theory. Basic needs are categorized as physiological needs, safety and security needs, needs of love, needs for self esteem and needs for self-actualization.

Just like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, ERG theory explains existence, relatedness, and growth needs. Through dual factors theory, Herzeberg describes certain factors in the workplace which result in job satisfaction. McClelland’s learned needs or three-needs theory uses a projective technique called the Thematic Aptitude Test (TAT) so as to evaluate people based on three needs: power, achievement, and affiliation. People with high need of power take action in a way that influences the other’s behavior.

Another type of motivation theory is process theory. Process theories of motivation provide an opportunity to understand thought processes that influence behavior. The major process theories of motivation include Adams’ equity theory, Vroom’s expectancy theory, goal-setting theory, and reinforcement theory. Expectancy, instrumentality, and valence are the key concepts explained in the expectancy theory. Goal setting theory suggests that the individuals are motivated to reach set goals. It also requires that the set goals should be specific. Reinforcement theory is concerned with controlling behavior by manipulating its consequences.

Motivation provides detailed information on Motivation, Daily Motivation, Employee Motivation, Motivation Posters and more. Motivation is affiliated with Christian Motivational Speakers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Romando
http://EzineArticles.com/?Motivation-Theory&id=410700

Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: motivation, motivation theory, self improvement

Let Them Fail?

October 22, 2011 By Admin Leave a Comment

– By Tom my Wittig -

Ever noticed how some people just aren’t motivated no matter what the reward? Ever tried to “Nice” someone into doing things different? Have you ever tried to curb someone’s behavior by “sweetening the deal” so they would do this rather than that? How well did it work for you? Yep, that’s what I thought.

By Tommy Wittig -

So, I got to thinking today, why is it that the typical individual needs to have their “Come To Jesus” moment before they even consider making a positive change in their life? For instance, why does it have to come down to a Doctor telling you that you have Lung Cancer before you would decide to quit smoking? Why does it take Heart Disease or Diabetes for an individual to start eating healthy? Why does it take a divorce, or worse, a loved one’s death, to make you realize that you should have spent more time with your family?

In each of these generalized examples it took having to face the worse-case scenario before realizing that it’s time to make a change for the better. In each of these circumstances, you can only imagine that each of these cases knew better but simply did not do better. Why? Was it because they really were unaware of the potential consequences of their behavior? Was it because people weren’t nice enough in telling them how to change? Was it because the reward for changing wasn’t good enough? No, it wasn’t any of these reasons. Simply put, you cannot motivate the unmotivated.

Whether we like it or not, there are many people who would sooner choose to do the least amount required of them, just as long as it allows them to get by. There are many more who will push the envelope even further and do the very things they know are wrong so long as they can get away with it. Excellence and integrity seem to be a thing of the past while apathy, laziness, and selfishness appear to be the way of the future. Oh woe is us! Whatever shall we do in these dark and dreary times?

Sit tight faithful reader, I’m about to tell you. But I’m warning you, you might not like it. You might think I have completely turned away from my stand for Personal Responsibility and Common Sense. You might think that I have given up on my message of Personal Development and that I no longer care about what happens to others. In all that I am about to say, be sure of this; I say it with the utmost care of others and I will prove it.

So what to do with the unmotivated? What to do with the people we love who are unwilling to make a change for the better? What to do with those who have chosen to take up destructive behaviors and are no longer interested in things like Integrity, Responsibility, Honesty, Healthy Living, and Selflessness? What to do, what to do, what to do…

My answer? Do nothing and let them go.

“What?!?! Are you saying to just give up on them and let them fail?!”

No, I am not saying that we should give up on them but I am saying we should let them experience failure. Why? Because when it comes down to it, failure is the one motivator that typically reaches those who cannot be motivated by the more traditional methods. In many ways, failure exists for the sheer purpose of kicking someone in the butt by telling them “Hey, blockhead! Don’t do that anymore! It doesn’t work!” It says “I am your last resort. Either learn from me now or you will never get it.” (Author’s note: Sadly, there are those who indeed never get it. Why? God only knows. Remember, I am speaking in generalities here and I cannot possibly speak to every circumstance or situation.)

The interesting thing about failure is that while it comes in many varieties, the overall impact is the same; game over. For example, failure to spend time with your family (divorce) is different then failure to eat healthy and exercise (disease). Failure to show up on time to your job (you’re fired) is different than failure to quit smoking (cancer). Failure is a direct consequence to simply not doing what you know you should do.

So where is the compassion in letting someone experience failure? First off, compassion for others does not come to an end by letting someone run out the natural consequence for their behaviors. If you know someone who simply cannot be influenced with positive reinforcements, then it might be time to turn them over to their own vices. As I’ve said before, nobody changes until they want to, and not a minute sooner. For some it’s as simple as pointing out the error of their ways; for others, not so much. There will always be those who need to learn the hard way.

Is it painful to watch those who you love continue to make poor decisions? Yes. Is it difficult to sit by and allow someone you care about to hurt themselves or others? Absolutely. But let me remind you – even God allows us to make mistakes. As hard as it may be to watch your loved ones do stupid things, you have to remember that each of us has the gift of Free Will. Aside from raising our own children, we have no right to impose our will upon another human being (and even as we raise our own kids, we have to be careful to impose wisely). So the compassion really comes down to this – respect. By respecting someone’s decisions, behaviors, and choices, you increase your odds of becoming a positive influence by removing yourself from the nagging and lecturing.

Even though it may require someone to hit rock bottom before they will turn their lives around, you can be the first one they see when they look up. Again, therein lies the compassion. Be there for them. Spare them the lectures and let them learn from the negative outcome if it has to be that way. Respect their Free Will and let yours be the first hand they grab when they are ready to get back up.

Failure may carry a negative connotation but for some it is the best thing that ever happened to them. If they had not failed, if they had not bottomed out, if they had not lost it all, they quite possibly would have lost everything, including their very own lives. For some there simply won’t be a positive means of encouragement and direction to steer them away from doing the wrong stuff. Sometimes ours is not to be the one to save them from falling. Sometimes ours is to be the one to lift them up after they have fallen.

Tommy Wittig

Tommy lives in Brooklyn Center, MN with his Wife, Kimberly and their three children, Jayden, Rachel and Zachary. When he is not writing or speaking, you will find him playing Guitar and Drums with his Band. A self-taught musician and Head-Banger at heart, Tommy takes his love for Rock And Roll center stage with a style that is rare in the Self Improvement field. “I coined the phrase ‘No suit, No tie, All business’ because I wanted to be different in my approach to the people I hope to reach. You’ll find a long-haired, T-shirt and Jeans wearing guy lecturing you on Personal Responsibility and Integrity. We’ve all heard it from the Suits, and while I am not knocking them, I think there is a new generation of people coming up that don’t wear the suits and ties and want someone they can relate to. That’s where I hope to come in.”

To learn more about Tommy, you can find him on Twitter [@tommywittig], Facebook and his Blog, www .expertofnonexpertise .blogspot .com

You can visit Tommy at his Website, www .tommywittig .webstarts .com

Feel free to email Tommy at, tommywittig@gmail.com

Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: allowing others to fail, motivation, self improvement, Success

Encouragement Words for Surviving Hard Times

August 26, 2011 By Admin Leave a Comment

By Robert Gabriel -

Hard times – regardless of the form in which they appear – require decisive action, the conviction that we can deal with them, and above all faith that in spite of all the world still helps us. The worst thing you can do is to surrender to apathy, inaction and total pessimism. Of course, there is no simple way. Surviving hard times must be learned through experience and practice – and this is where encouragements words play a critical role – because no one is born with such a talent. But one thing should be remembered all the time: For man nothing is impossible.

Take advantage of encouragement words that will inspire you and teach why surviving hard times is possible for everyone:

“Defeat is not the end of the game” – encouragement words by Robert Gabriel

You are meant for experiencing defeat and nothing and no one on earth can protect you from this. Life is testing you right now and it will never stop. Get used to temporary defeats as they will accompany you for the rest of your days. And the more defeats you experience, the stronger you get. Knowledge and confidence come only from experience and you learn much more from defeats than victories.

A defeat is not the end of the game. It is a kind of training for the ability to conquer whatever you want to possess. The more you train, the better you get. And it’s not the end of the game, it’s only the beginning.

“Hard times pass… have the strength to survive them” – encouragement words by Robert H. Schuller

No matter how successful or happy your life currently is, you may encounter periods when everything seems to go wrong and everyone seems to be against you. Hard times belong to human life – like joy and sadness – and there is absolutely no magical way to prevent them. They need to be accepted and treated like exams everyone has to pass from time to time. But as everything in life they pass and never come back, at least not in the same way. They remain as memories and lessons that make us more mature and experienced.

Do you have the strength to survive hard times or do you belong to those who give up when they feel temporarily overwhelmed with life and what is demanded from them? I don’t know what difficult time you are going through right now but I have no doubt that there is no rational reason why you should not endure and win in the end.

“God may delay his grace but he never refuses it” – encouragement words by Anthony Robbins

But you don’t need necessarily to believe in God to understand what is said here. Life doesn’t give you what you desire when you desire it the most. It makes you wait, it makes you struggle, it testes your patience and commitment and only when you pass the test, you can get your reward. Those who decide or want to follow a path of quick and easy success (which for instance nowadays is very common when it comes to making money online) usually fail because they don’t anticipate the need to wait for the reward and that’s why lose interest and give up too early.

And what about you? Do you have the strength and patience to wait for God’s or life’s grace?

Or maybe you don’t need any inspiration? Maybe you are tired of hearing that you deserve a better life? In this case you are forbidden to visit Time For Giants’ Encouragement Words and Expert Knowledge. And don’t dare to see our inspirational videos here: YouTube Channel. They are not meant for you. They will only bore you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Gabriel
http://EzineArticles.com/?Encouragement-Words-for-Surviving-Hard-Times&id=5250463

Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: encouragement words, motivation, words of encouragement.inspiration

12 Effective Ways to Instantly Feel Great

May 21, 2011 By Admin 1 Comment

By Mena Rose Baines -

This article had been written to assist you in shifting your mood for the better whenever you feel down, discouraged, demotivated or simply need a quick ‘pick me up’. We all get sad from time to time and below you will find 12 ways to feel better -guaranteed!

Remind yourself of your past victories and successes.
Remember the times when you successfully dealt with your problems, overcame obstacles or adversity. No matter how big or small were your achievements try to revisit the feeling of satisfaction that you felt at that time. Relive the moments when you felt especially proud of yourself and welcome that warm, fizzy feeling you get when things fall into place.
Discover the power of good music.
Put on your favorite tunes at home and try singing along with them. Listen to some energizing music in your car, when you’re exercising or right after you wake up. Find a song that has a positive effect on you, one that has a great vibe to it or soothes your nerves. Program your mind to the right outlook within minutes by choosing the appropriate type of music you listen to. Why not trying something like lounge music, reggae or salsa? Remember that music stimulates the creative part of your brain and creative equals imagination which in turn will instantly put you in that feel-good feeling.
Exercise.
Cannot stress the amazing effect exercise has on your mood. All those endorphins that are created during exercise sessions have an immediate positive effect on your emotional state. Try combining exercising with outdoors and you will not only get an energy boost but the fresh air will clear your mind. Aim for at least 30 45 minutes and your mood will definitely improve.
Do something for yourself.
Get a new haircut, have a manicure or a bubbly bath. How about learning something new? Maybe doing that photography course you always wanted to do or going to a concert you’ve been putting off for so long? When you’re engaged in interesting activities you will have no time to think about your troubles. Whatever it is you decide to do for yourself make sure it’s something that you enjoy doing.
Clean and de-clutter.
Yes you did read this right. Many people feel much better after a session of cleaning out their apartments, cars or even handbags. De-cluttering your surroundings gives you a sense of control and accomplishment. Try it and it might work for you.
Laugh, laugh and laugh more!
Laughter is the best medicine for any sorrows. Why not renting out a comedy? Or maybe watching a cartoon that use to bring a smile to your face when you were a kid? Alternatively get together with friends who are capable of making you laugh. Sharing jokes and funny stories with others will not only make you feel happier but will make others feel better as well.
Call a friend, a relative or a loved one.
Speaking to someone you care about will shift your mood. Tell them about your doubts, try sharing your sadness and you will immediately feel like you’re not alone and the support they will provide you with will make you feel less negative.
Go through your old photo album.
Choose photos from a particularly happy period of your life and flick through them to improve your mood. Bringing back vivid, happy memories will remind you how great life can be. Looking at your holiday pics with a glass of pina colada will create that magical feeling of relaxing bliss.
Make someone else feel better.
It is a very simple but effective way to lift up your emotional state. When you send a positive vibe to somebody else it will mirror your own mood too. Try giving a compliment to someone. Help them in something important. Tell your spouse that you love them without occasion. Give a small gift of gratitude to someone who lent you a helping hand when you needed it. Try volunteering or visiting a nursing home. People who appreciate your presence will remind you what an important human being you are and what a difference you can make in other peoples’ lives.
Develop your own affirmation to make you feel better.
Try something short but powerful, something that sounds confident but suits your own personality. Remember to make your affirmations positive rather than negative.
Read success stories and inspiring quotations, poems and personal biographies.
Someone else’s path through adversity and challenges and their ultimate victory will make you feel like you too can succeed. Words of wisdom can put your mind at ease and bring that positive attitude back into your life.
Write up an action plan.
Have a detailed plan outlining your goals and plot the steps you will take to achieve them. This will make you feel like you have a purpose. Visualize yourself achieving your desires. Being in control of your own destiny sure feels uplifting.

Hope that you can use some or all of these simple ways to get yourself in a better mood. I sure do!

Mena Baines

I also advise that if you want to start feeling more fulfilled with your life and embrace happiness psychology, you read “Start Where You Are” – visit http://www.ideas2actions.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mena_Rose_Baines
http://EzineArticles.com/?12-Effective-Ways-to-Instantly-Feel-Great&id=2401644

Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: Depression, encouragement, feeling low, Happiness, mood shifting, motivation, positive attitude, sadness

Spring into Action (Pun intended)

March 18, 2011 By ireneconlan 1 Comment

By Irene Conlan -

The lovely message below was in my early morning e-mail and is so rich I want to share it with you. It is from my dear friend Cindy Loughran, a top notch coach who is getting ready to do a “Spring into Action” group coaching program. It might be just the thing you need to get you off “dead center” and, knowing Cindy, it won’t be just good it will be great. Read the note and, if you want to know more see “New Stuff” down in the right lower corner of this blog page. It will take you to her site. The note itself makes you want to get up and get things done, doesn’t it?

Dear Irene,

It’s Spring. A time for rebirth and renewal. The time we in the northeast
part of the U.S. tentatively poke our noses outside in search of the first
green sprout! Nature is waking up the flora and fauna and creating bright
green stalks of new hope. The changing of the seasons seems almost
impossible…the sudden shift from brown to green.

There are probably things in your life you’d like to give new life to, changes
you’d like to make, dormant dreams you long to awaken. And, it may seem
impossible for you to take action and see your desires through. But, WHAT IF
THE THINGS YOU’VE THOUGHT WERE IMPOSSIBLE REALLY AREN’T?
What if you could make the changes you’ve been promising you’d make as soon
as…(fill in the blank), now? What would you do? What would your life look
like if you had a breakthrough in an area of your life in which you’ve been
stuck?
“Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized.”
Leo Buscaglia

Most people are unsuccessful making changes in their lives because they don’t
have the right kind of structure and enough support to see them through. They
have stories about all of the things that are in their way and they relate to
these stories as if they are the unalterable truth. I know. I’ve done it!
And, I’ve also experienced unimaginable success when I’ve followed a specific
process and surrounded myself with the right people to buoy me up and keep me
on track.

You can too and I want to partner with you to make it happen. It may be easier
than you think.

If you are ready to get healthier, feel more relaxed under pressure, engage in
conversations that up until now have felt too scary, lose weight, take your
business to the next level, or totally change direction, you’ll want to check
out my upcoming group coaching program, Change Champion: Spring into Action.

Take care of yourself this spring by making your ‘as soon as’ NOW.

Remember, the thing I care most about is helping people make the changes they
want to make in their lives in order to be healthier, happier and more fulfilled!
It would be an honor to help you!
Embrace change,

Cindy Loughran
Change Champion

Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: action, cindy loughran, coaching, motivation, Success

Love Yourself First!

March 2, 2011 By Admin Leave a Comment

By Stephen D Carroll –

Love yourself first! Before you can love others you need to love yourself. I don’t mean a conceited love, what I mean is unconditional love or parental love. Love is the best medicine we can give ourselves. The amount that we love ourselves determines the amount we can love others. How much love do you have for yourself? Rate it between 1 and 10. Is there room for improvement? Let’s look at some ways to increase that to a ten.

As a teenager I was at about 2, I had a very low self esteem. I thought I didn’t know anything and was stupid. I wasn’t taught how to express my negative feelings. I wasn’t taught about self love, about what greatness I had within me. We all have greatness within us!

What does that little voice inside your head say about you? Is it critical of you and your actions? If you’re like most people it probably is. This is human nature, accept it unconditionally. Once you accept it you can start getting it out of your way. Don’t resist this voice, let those thoughts come and go. When you let them flow through your mind don’t put any judgements on them. Accept them, acknowledge them, allow them to move through your mind. When you resist something it persists, so let it go.

Now you can start to change that critical voice within, to show yourself some love and compassion. You control that voice, why not show yourself some compassion. Everybody makes mistakes, we are not perfect, we are who we are. Look at mistakes as a learning experiences. Laugh off any mistakes you have made. You don’t need to be critical of yourself. Make that voice a supporter of you, encourage yourself through this voice. When a critical thought comes into your mind, turn it around. Turn it into a positive statement.

Here are some quotes to keep you motivated on your path of unconditional love and growth…

Once you have learned to love, you will have learned how to live. Unknown

If you must love someone, may I suggest you love yourself? Beauty and the Beast

There is no great difference in reality between one country and another, because it is always people you meet everywhere. They may look different or be dressed differently, they may have a different education or position; but they are all the same. They are people to be loved; they are all hungry for love. Mother Teresa

The birds are molting. If only man could molt also – his mind once a year its errors, his heart once a year its useless passions. James Allen

Refuse to receive anyone’s condemnation. In the independence of your own mentality, believe that you are wonderful. This is not conceit, it is the truth. Ernest Holmes

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. Lucille Ball

My journey has taken me to the depths of hell and back. I will share with you my dark side (the shadow as Jung calls it) and the light side. We all have a dark side filled with fear, hate, mistrust, plus many other negative attributes. We also have many LIGHTS within us! I am sharing my life with you and my thoughts of a better world. The one that is within us all.

Be sure to visit http://www.2giveinspiration.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_D_Carroll
http://EzineArticles.com/?Love-Yourself-First!&id=5450535

Filed Under: Self Esteem Tagged With: accept yourself, how to love others, how to love yourself, increased confidence, inspiration, motivation

How to Motivate Anyone Including Yourself With 7 Minutes and a Cup of Coffee

February 15, 2011 By Admin 1 Comment

By Dr. Richard Norris – (Note: Dr. Richard Norris will be our guest on The Self Improvement Show on Feb. 24)

Do you, your team or organization need to overcome obstacles and deliver results?

Perhaps, you are having issues motivating your team or even yourself?

Do you need to know how to find those elusive “hot buttons” that ignite people into action?

Until a few years ago I would have answered, “Yes” to all of these. Then one day I had an epiphany.

You cannot motivate anyone!

Yep. You heard me. You cannot motivate anyone…except yourself. Think about it.

Motivation is very personal and comes from within us. Let’s look at the definition.

Motivation n: the reason or reasons behind one’s actions or behaviour (Oxford Dictionary)

Whether it is the primal drivers of the need for food and perpetuation of the species as in migrating salmon or it is because you have been made redundant thanks to the recent recession and you are motivated to provide for your family, the reason motivates you. There may be external factors but the driver comes from within.

Now what you can do is inspire others. Inspiration is initiated externally. At its root, inspire relates to “breathing in”. Oxford Dictionary defines inspiration as:

The process or quality of being inspired; a person or thing that inspires.

That is we must breathe it into ourselves first. Breathe in the inspiration and then use it, as the body uses oxygen, to help us to live and wilfully act upon our surroundings.

Inspiration precedes motivation. You need to be inspired and motivated to inspire others to become motivated.

No matter the audience, when I have asked for a show of hands those who could tell me exactly what motivates the people around them at work, rest or play, there has been very few or no hands up. A sad testimony don’t you think. No wonder there is such a chronic need today for effective leadership development?

Now think of Dr Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. He inspired a movement that was motivated to bring about cultural change. That inspiration came about because Dr King connected with his audience. He connected with them at an emotional and spiritual level. He was giving them the vision that inspired them. The intention was to pass them the baton to make it happen. As leaders know, or most of them anyway, they cannot deliver the vision on their own. They need help.

Share the Dream

So for you to motivate anyone you must first share the dream. Communicate it clearly, consistently, constantly and creatively.

Next help your motivatees to understand their purpose as it relates to achieving the dream, goal or target. Help them to connect with it so they understand their part and how meaningful their part is in the achievement. Help them T.E.A.M U.P. – Together Everyone Achieves More Understanding Purpose.

Using a football analogy, every player has a position and with that position comes role to play (their purpose) in the game plan especially when they understand the importance of working as a team. No game plan. No awareness of their role. Out of position. Bad result.

Key Questions

Here is a question worthy of some significant consideration. Ask yourself. Ask your team.

If we do this in sport, why do we not tend to do it in business or even in at home?

Your role is to understand your purpose and, where relevant, help your motivatees to identify theirs and how it fits into the inspiring bigger picture. Do that and motivation is beginning to take form.

As the late Jim Rohn said, “When the why gets strong the how becomes easy.”

Inspire the team. Power comes when you align the individual’s purpose with the team’s purpose. The individual becomes aware, perhaps for the first time, how key they are to the success of the team or the organization. After all, teams win championships not individuals because they work as a team playing off each other’s skills, knowledge, experience and responsibilities.

Now you might be asking how do you help your motivatees to discover their purpose?

Well, one simple way to gain insight into what may motivate someone is to ask them the following question:

If you had unlimited resource in your life, what would you do?

Everyone is born with a purpose. It is hard-wired into their DNA. Everyone has strengths and gifts that will support that purpose. Regrettably, most people never discover what their purpose, gifts or strengths are. This is a way to draw it out.

Another couple of simple clarifying questions to ask them are:

What comes easy to you?

What’s your dream?

These answers will begin to enlighten you (and hopefully them) as to what those “hot buttons” might be.

Now that we have some lights coming on, what value would it be to you, your team and your organization etc if you had a simple and effective method or tool that enabled you (and everyone else for that matter) to really know what those “hot buttons” really are in about 7 minutes over a cup of coffee?

The Hot Box

Enter the “Hot Box”. Draw it out.

This is a 3 x 3 matrix with:

i.Left to right the headings 90 days – 1 year – 3 years across the top

ii. Top to bottom the headings Personal Goals – Professional Goals – Personal Development Goals

Sit down with your team-mate and work with them to fill in this box.

For illustration purposes, let’s use a work scenario and overlay the success model first devised by Napolean Hill – Be x Do = Have. Who we are combined with our actions delivers the results.

1. Ask them why they go to work. The answer you are looking for is so they can make money so they can invest it in their personal lives to deliver the lifestyle they aspire to.

2. Ask them to fill in 1-3 personal goals they would like to achieve over the next 90 days, 1 year and 3 years. Examples could be an all-inclusive vacation to the tropics or buy a house or start a hobby. This helps you both identify what is driving them, their “Why?” – their “hot buttons”. These are the ultimate results or the “Haves”

3. Help them make the connection between their personal goals and their professional goals. Ask them what they need to achieve in their professional role over 90 days, 1 year and 3 years that will ensure they then have the resources to deliver the personal goals. The answers go in the respective boxes. These answer “What?” they need to do to achieve those personal goals. They represent the “Dos”. If they do not act on these, they won’t get the results they desire.

4. Assuming that as time progresses they desire to grow, help your motivatee to then establish their personal development goals in their professional role. A great question to ask here is, “Who do you need to ‘be’ to deliver your professional goals?” Examples could be they need training to be more productive or to be better at sales or be a better manager. These answer “Who” they need to become and helps identify their development needs. Emphasize the connection between “Who” they need to become with “What” they need to do and “Why” that is so important to them.

Completed this way, you will have a Personal Motivation Plan - a record for yours and their reference at any time. And all it takes is about 7 minutes.

Now there is a piece missing. Do the following and you and everyone else nearby will know what the “hot buttons” are.

5. Once completed, request that your motivatee then obtain a picture that represents each respective Personal Goal and post it where they (and you et al) can see it easily and frequently e.g. a photo next to their phone, computer or car sun visor or an image on their iPhone or as a screensaver. This provides a constant reminder of “Why” they are truly there – for them and for you and for the rest of the team.

6. Now, as and when required, you can hit their “hot button” and reinforce their motivators. Ask a question like, “So, how are you getting on to attaining that dream holiday?” to reconnect them with their purpose. Or comment, “Now that you have made this project so profitable, congratulations on your raise! Now you will have the down payment for that house.” You get the idea.

No Excuses!!

So now are you motivated? Go get some coffee, carve out 7 minute blocks, sit down and pull out the Hot Box. Now you have no excuses. Ask. “Why?” “What?” “Who?” Ignite yourself. Then ignite the team. You will be glad you did. Oh…And please let me know how you get on.

Dr Richard Norris
Your Performance & Legacy Coach
Author of “Hoof it! 7 Key Lessons on Your Journey of Success”

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Richard_Norris
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Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: action plan, goals, inspiration, manageme, motivation, personal development, self development, Success, team

Self Awareness – Three Things You Should Know About Yourself

January 6, 2011 By Admin Leave a Comment

By Parthasarathy Rengaswami -

Self awareness means understanding yourself better. Most of us are not fully aware of what is buried deep in our personality. Self discovery is a continuous process. It has no end. The more and more you discover about yourself, the stronger and stronger will your personality will become. You will think better, act better and achieve better. To improve your awareness of yourself, you have to focus on the following areas.

1. What are your strengths?

Every person born in this world is endowed with a variety of talents and skills. We also learn a lot. Learning is not confined to academic learning. We start learning as a child by observing others. Psychologists call this cognitive learning. This means observing a particular behavior, seeing the result it achieves and reproducing the same behavior when you want the same result. Starting from this basic learning, we absorb a lot of knowledge both knowingly and unknowingly. Though knowledge is valuable and powerful, a surfeit of knowledge sometimes acts like a handicap by preventing us from knowing what we are best at doing. We are good at doing several things. But if we can discover the areas where we can excel, then we become aware of our strengths.

2. What are your weaknesses?

It is a well accepted fact that everyone has areas of weaknesses. The weakness may be a personality defect like shyness and inhibition or an undesirable habit we have acquired. Whatever is the weakness, we have to accept it for a fact. Many people deceive themselves by refusing to accept a weakness or by ignoring it. If you have the fear of public speaking, you should accept it for a fact. If you cannot resist the temptation to drink, you should understand that it is weakness. Rationalizing our weak points will not help us. Once you become aware of your weaknesses, you get the power to work towards overcoming them. As long as you refuse to accept your weaknesses, you will be burdened with them and will never think of getting relieved of them.

3. Know what you like and dislike:

We all have individual tastes. We have likings and preferences. While these may not be rational, there is nothing wrong with our having likes and dislikes. Please remember that it is your individual taste that distinguishes your personality. If every one talks highly of a film and if you don’t like it, you should accept your feelings. There is nothing in your having an opinion different from the majority of people. You don’t have to argue with others. But it is perfectly alright to feel the way you do.

Two things are important in life. Earning money and maintaining good relationships. If you want to be happy and successful, you should focus on these two areas of financial success and harmonious relationships.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Parthasarathy_Rengaswami
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Filed Under: Self Esteem Tagged With: attitude, motivation, personality development, positive thinking, self development, work environment

Self Awareness – Why This Is Important

January 4, 2011 By Admin Leave a Comment

By Parthasarathy Rengaswami -

What will be your answer to the question? ‘Who are you?’ You may answer this in various ways. You may answer this question with your name, your profession, your relationship with someone or some other way. You are a resident of town X, an employee of company Y, a customer, a voter, a complainant, a respondent and so many other things. Most of these things have nothing to do with your real self. Self awareness refers to your understanding of your personality, specifically your strengths, weaknesses, desires, ambitions, feelings etc. Self awareness becomes important because this knowledge will help you make choices in your life.

Have you ever accepted something offered to you or asked of you and have later felt that you should not have accepted it? Almost every one has this experience at some time or the other. Having this experience is good for you. It makes you understand the need for understanding yourself better. If you had had self awareness, you would not have accepted something that didn’t go with your wants, tastes or personality. If you are a young man and a beautiful girl asks you to marry her, will you readily say yes? Not likely, even if she were a ravishing beauty. This is because you are aware that beauty is not the only thing to look for in a girl, that you would like to marry. There are people who are momentarily unaware of this and accept the proposal mesmerized by the girl’s beauty. As a result they suffer an unhappy marriage. A similar situation may arise for a girl who may fall for a man’s looks or riches, only to discover too late that he was not the type of husband she had wanted.

Some decisions you make due to lack of self awareness can be reversed. If you take up a job that is not suitable to you, you may change your job though you would have lost some part of your life by spending your time in the job and feeling miserable. But some decisions like marriage will be more difficult to reverse and even if you reverse the decision, the consequences will live with you for a long time.

So, how do you gain self awareness? Sit down, take a note book and write things about you. Start with what you possess, your talents and skills, your knowledge and expertise etc. Then, write down your weaknesses, your likes and dislikes. Keep this list with you. Come back to this quite often. You may have to modify the list as you discover more about yourself and as you change yourself. This exercise will activate your self awareness whenever you have to make choices and help you make the right decisions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Parthasarathy_Rengaswami
http://EzineArticles.com/?Self-Awareness—Why-This-Is-Important&id=5621405

Filed Under: Self Esteem Tagged With: attitude, motivation, personality development, positive thinking, self development, work environment

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