What is Motivation?

Wikipedia.com says that "motivation" is a reason or a set of reasons for engaging in a behavior. A few months ago my name was in a drawing to win tickets to a seminar called "Get Motivated!" Unfortunately, I did not win, but I was motivated to figure out a way to get to this seminar. I just had a feeling that I had to be there. So, I set out to see if my principal would consider taking a group of teachers to this seminar. Paul, once again, doubted the possibility of this, but I was determined. My principal surprisingly agreed! :)

So, yesterday at 6:30 AM five of us set out to get to the American Airlines Center for the Get Motivated seminar. Unsure of what to expect, we ended up with great seats, and were blown away by all of the speakers that stood before us:
Zig Ziglar, Gen. Colin Powell, Avery Johnson, Goldie Hawn, Tony Romo, Brian Tracy, Terry Fator (America's Got Talent), Steve Forbes and Phil Town, Keith Craft.

Some of these people were "once-in-a-lifetime" people. Gen. Colin Powell was the most articulate, motivating speaker I've ever heard. Terry Fator was incredibly talented and surpassed my initial expectation of him by far. I thought I would share some of what I learned yesterday with you here. Take what you will and apply it to your own daily life.

1. When investing in stocks - number one rule is don't lose money.
2. Don't be afraid to invest and know that you have the advantages over the stock brokers. You can buy/sell in seconds. It takes them weeks.
3. Think outside the box.
4. Do it a new way.
5. Break the mold.
6. The message you send is not always the message received.
7. Change is a given, growth is a choice.
8. Be a leader by passion and inspiration. You'll know you're a good leader if troops follow you out of curiosity.
9. Where are you going in your life? Vote yourself off of Someday Isle (Someday I"ll write that book, someday I'll paint that room).
10. Just as you eat healthy food for your body, you must also feed your mind and spirit with healthy positive statements. "I am important."
11. How important you feel you are determines everything in your life.
12. If you do what other successful people do and do it over and over and over, you'll eventually get the same result.
13.Align yourself with the following people: those who believe in you, those who challenge you to be better, those who share your values.
14. Create a wall or poster of gratitude. (include people that are responsible for making you strive to be better)
15. Elevate your thinking. Decide what you want. Don't worry about the details. Visualize it happening.
16. Make a victory list that reminds you of the things that made you the most confident.
17.Think---->Be------>Do----->Think---->Be------>Do----->Think---->Be------>Do-----> 18. Don't let fear motivate your life.


Originally published on September 26, 2007