Category: motivation

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motivation

Adventures Involve Risk

Cartoon of an injured boy in the hospital. He says to another boy, "Why is it whenever you have a taste for adventure, I end up in the emergency room?"

Thrill-seekers love adventure. Sure, you can attempt to minimize it. You can wear protective clothing, helmets and use climbing ropes. You can go to an amusement park and ride an inspected roller coaster that’s been deemed safe. You can go to a haunted house with chainsaw-wielding fiends and fake blood on the wall, knowing full well they won’t hurt you because that’s bad for business. But if there is no risk involved, there’s no adventure, is there?

Cartoon of an injured boy in the hospital. He says to another boy, "Why is it whenever you have a taste for adventure, I end up in the emergency room?"

On the one hand, we yearn for some adventure. On the other hand, we are risk-averse. We want someone else to take the risk. We don’t really want to risk it all for the business, success or imagined glory. Yet that is what is required to move forward. Change is an adventure. Adventures are risky.

Seth Godin has defined creativity simply as, “It might not work.” That new product launch, the new marketing campaign, that career move may not be as successful as you hope. But deep down, isn’t that the adventure we are all looking for?

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motivation

The Goblin’s Gonna Getcha if you Don’t Watch Out!

Cartoon of two boys and a monster dog. One boy says, "Like my new dog? I got him from some guy named 'Frankenstein.'"

Around this time of year, I remember my mom quoting from a poem. James Whitcomb Riley was a Hoosier poet. My classmates and siblings learned all about him in Indiana history class. Little Orphant Annie was one of his more famous poems.

You better mind yer parents, an’ yer teachers fond an’ dear,
An’ churish them ‘at loves you, an’ dry the orphant’s tear,
An’ he’p the pore an’ needy ones ‘at clusters all about,
Er the Gobble-uns’ll git you
             Ef you
                Don’t
                   Watch
                      Out!

“Little Orphant Annie” — James Whitcomb Riley

When you read it through modern eyes, it’s a very colloquial and little quaint. Yet it is also a little disturbing to think of the underlying threat if you’re naughty. You better mind your P’s and Q’s! Or the monsters are just waiting to grab you! Yikes!

Fear motivation never works out in the long term. But as a parent, I can think of times when it was tempting to say something similar. After all, isn’t the threat that Santa won’t bring toys if you are naughty a similar ultimatum?

Even so, I’ve come to realize fear motivation may work in the short term, but it is a lousy long term strategy. Someone disciplined with threats will either grow up to be fearful or defiant. Either the child will grow up to fear authority or shake his fist at it. It’s not an inspiring message, is it?

Fear and Loathing in the Southwest

About four years ago, I experienced the paralysis of fear motivation. My wife and I were called to Arizona for her ministry. We knew it was the right thing to do. I resigned from my job in Indiana and we made the trek to the Southwest. When we left our home, she had the job, but I was still looking for my next gig. I had a few leads, but nothing definite. I drove out with a mixture of fear and anxiety, tempered with hope.

I knew it was the right thing to do. Yet, I was also fearful. What if I didn’t find a job quickly? How would we survive? Sure enough, my prophecy of doom came true. I worked for a time as a deli clerk at a grocery store and did freelance illustration while I kept looking. It took eight months to find fulfilling work that would make use of my education and skills. Looking back, I wonder if it would have been a much shorter search if fear didn’t dominate my thinking.

I learned from that experience that fear motivation is not motivation. It is much more useful at paralyzing us than moving us to forward.

You can look toward the future with fear and dread. You probably won’t be motivated to do much. What’s the point if you’re convinced it will go badly? Or you can look toward the future with anticipation and enthusiasm. I learned from that experience four years ago that the latter is much better. It is more effective than watching for those mean, old goblins that will getcha if you don’t watch out!

Categories
holiday motivation

Fear and Pumpkin Spice

Cartoon of a woman and a trick or treater. The woman says, "Happy Halloween! Here, have a pumpkin spice latte!"

The goblins will be out in a few weeks. They will scurry down well-lit streets for their treats. Adults who don’t want to shell out their life savings for treats will hunker down in coffee shops for some pumpkin spice concoctions. the irony is that those hand-crafted drinks may cost as much as a couple of bags of “fun-sized” treats.

Halloween will be one of those few times people will meet their neighbors. Another irony is that most of those neighbors will wear masks and costumes. Perhaps that is why some may be inclined to vacate their premises and go elsewhere while the little ghosts, goblins and super heroes roam the neighborhoods. It’s an ironic time of year!

We fear what we don’t know. Some of us will respond by stocking their cupboard with treats in order to minimize the tricks. Others will simply abandon their abode for one night. Is one better than the other? I can’t answer that. Personally, I’d prefer to give out the pumpkin-spice lattés. But I’m guessing they would lead to more tricks than treats.

In any case, face your fears and make sure your little goblins will be safe.

Categories
motivation

The Powerful Tool of Forgiveness

Cartoon of a man and elephant about forgiving and forgetting

We are imperfect people working with imperfect coworkers and serving imperfect customers. over the course of the day, someone may say something that is either going to frustrate, offend or discourage us. It could be intentional or totally innocent. It may be because we can see the same facts and come to different conclusions. Oh, there are so many chances to forgive!

Forgiveness allows us to move on. True, there must be accountability. If someone is breaking an established rule or a law, they must be held to it. But most of the time, the things that get us tripped up in are minor offenses that require us to let go.

Forgive and it will be much easier for the other person to forgive you. Let go of those minor offenses that can become major if we let them fester. After all, a bunch of imperfect people do imperfect, annoying, aggravating things. And you are certainly not immune from doing an imperfect, annoying aggravating thing.

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motivation

Start Small to Achieve Big Things

Cartoon of two babies. One says, "My first birthday is next week. Talk about pressure!"

My featured cartoon reminds me that one person’s challenge is a cinch to another. After a few decades of birthdays, I have no problem with facing another. But I remember how overwhelming that first birthday party was for my kids. It was quite the big deal! They acted as if it was their first debut to the entire world!

If you are doing anything of value, if you are working with people, things or ideas today, if you are growing at all, you will be under some pressure. How do you build yourself up so that when the big pressures come you are ready?

I began to write this blog daily because I wanted to hone my writing skills. I enjoy writing. If I want to tackle larger projects later, it’s good to keep writing daily and consistently.

I learned to do this when I trained for half-marathons and my first marathon. In order to run 26.2 miles, you need to start small and work your miles up. Eventually, I worked up to the goal.

You may have a goal or a challenge that is facing you today. It may seem too insurmountable to conquer. Start out by taking on the small challenge. Work yourself up to the larger one. One day, you may be surprised how far you have come.