Tag: motivation

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motivation

The Successful Fail

scientist working in laboratory
Photo by Chokniti Khongchum on Pexels.com

Yes, successful people fail. Not many people want to acknowledge that, including this author. It’s uncomfortable. Successful people are willing to work at mastery, even if it is ever elusive. It’s not that the successful never fail, it’s that they know how to keep going when failures and setbacks take down other people.

I was reminded of this when I read the Inc.com article, Mastery: What it Takes to Be on Top by Tanya Prive. The article says success takes mastery. And to master something takes these three requirements:

  • It’s not about the destination, it’s about the process
  • Get comfortable with being uncomfortable
  • Be willing to fail forward

Do the Successful Fail?

Trying something and failing isn’t easy. In 2015, my wife and I took a risk that ended up hurting us emotionally and financially. I said then that I had no regrets, and that holds true today. That risk has made us stronger and caused us to depend on our faith and each other. We are better people for it.

What we have learned from the event is crucial to our next steps. Does the setback make us want to never try to make a move again, or do we learn from it and try something different the next time? In effect, do we learn from the experiment or just quit?

Across the world, scientists and medical professionals are developing a vaccine for COVID-19. There have been many failures, I’m sure. But I am thankful for the lab technicians that are discovering what doesn’t work and then experimenting to find what will work. It takes persistence and a willingness to fail in order to eventually be successful.

We wouldn’t want these professionals to give up before they find a cure. Nor should we give up if we have a calling or ambition that fires us up. If you haven’t reached mastery yet, if success has been elusive for you, keep learning from your past mistakes and failures. You never know what good it may do for you and others in the future.

scientist working in laboratory
Photo by Chokniti Khongchum on Pexels.com
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motivation

Obstacles and Goals

Quote: Obstacles are what a person sees when he takes his eye off his goals." E. Joseph Cossman

There are obstacles, and there are goals. Obstacles are all around us and easy to spot.

  • They can be the construction zone that makes you late for work.
  • It can be a little virus that shuts down the world for a few months.
  • They can even be something good like kids or parents that need care or a challenge at work.

Nobody has a problem spotting obstacles.

Goals are harder to see. They require some trailblazing. Yes, may ask you to boldly go where no one has gone before. They can be part of a vision that is unique to you, your family, and your situation. Goals make us reach for something that may feel out of reach. And they may inspire you to go around, over, or through an obstacle.

We will always have obstacles. But not everyone has goals. We will always have things that frustrate us. But not everyone has a vision that will help them see beyond today.

Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eye off the goal.

E. Joseph Cossman

E. Joseph Cossman

Mr. Cossman was an interesting guy. He would see an opportunity, then act on it. He perfected mail-order marketing and pioneered infomercials. He sold such items as “shrunken heads,” spud guns, and ant farms. Later in life, he would teach and inspire others to sell and market their products.

He saw an opportunity where others saw obstacles. That’s what a goal will do for you and me. It’s too easy to see the problems and bad news in the world. You don’t even need to look for it. It will come to you. It takes special effort to define goals and look beyond the everyday obstacles of life.

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motivation Purpose

The power of purpose

Quote: "One cannot lead a life that is truly excellent with feeling that one belongs to something greater and more permanent than oneself." Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in "Drive" by Daniel Pink

If the last few months have taught us anything, it is that life is precious and fragile. We are fragile! Someone can look healthy one day, and two weeks later, they could be gone due to a tiny virus. This life is temporary.

Purpose prods us on to excellence. If all we have to work for is temporary gain, it won’t motivate us very far. Belonging to a higher purpose will keep us going when we face difficulty.

We are more than the economy. We are more than short-term gains. I encourage you to find your purpose. Strive to belong to something that is greater and more permanent that will outlast all of us. Be a person of faith and watch what is left of your life become excellent.

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motivation

Are we all being recorded now?

Cartoon of a pastor saying, "I must remind you my sermons are recorded for quality assurance."

When I drew this cartoon, I worked at a call center in Arizona for a time. We had to remind anyone we called that the line could be recorded. It would make me think whenever I would make a call. I wanted to choose carefully the words I would use.

Today, I have noticed when I am on video calls, there is an option to record the conversation. Since we are using electronic communication so much now, I wonder how many times this feature is being used.

Does it matter? If you knew your conversation was being recorded and could be broadcast to the world, would you be kinder, more thoughtful? Perhaps you would think before you speak?

Perhaps it is good to assume we are being recorded. I’ve made an effort to consider this when I create a blog post. Let’s all consider the words we say and how we say them.

Cartoon of a pastor saying, "I must remind you my sermons are recorded for quality assurance."
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motivation

How Do You Endure in a Pandemic?

Cartoon of a girl scolding a kitten. She says, "Come down from there! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Many of us are getting stir crazy these days. And it looks like we have another month of self-sequestering.

Even the pets are feeling it. Some may be like the cat in this cartoon. They may need to run up a tree and cause some commotion. I saw a video the other day of a cat that was very upset she had to share the house with her owners. Let’s face it. Cats are the kings and queens of social distancing!

Staying inside and hunkering down is the right thing to do as we attempt to stem this pandemic. But there are some proper ways to take risks and keep your edge as we wait this out.

  • Use the Internet to learn a new skill. What is it that you have been meaning to learn but never got round to?
  • You can take e-courses. Some are free including Yale’s Happiness Course.
  • Reach out to an old friend through the phone or social media.
  • Use social media to spread a message of encouragement. 
  • Read a book about something you always wanted to know. You don’t have one handy?
    • Your library probably has ebooks to check out.
    • You can read free ebooks at Project Gutenberg

Find something useful to do. It’s possible. But I also understand if you’re feeling like climbing up the walls, or even an occasional tree!

Cartoon of a girl scolding a kitten. She says, "Come down from there! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"