I stood there, at the edge of giving up. The view from this edge, you ask? Annoyingly blurry, with a heavy mist of frustration and a chilling wind of doubt. Holding on felt like a fight, while letting go seemed like the easy option. In that moment, motivation was as foreign to me as the dark side of the moon.
The Duality of Motivation
On one hand, motivation is a beacon, a luminous guide that navigates us through storms of lethargy and procrastination. On the other, it is a fickle friend, one that visits without notice and leaves without a warning. It’s this baffling duality of motivation that leaves us standing at the crossroads, unsure whether to chase after it or to wait for its return.
Why We Hold On
So, why do we persist? Why not surrender when the going gets tough? Because deep within us, beyond the layers of exhaustion and negativity, lies a purpose, clear as daylight. It’s the book you’ve always wanted to write, the business you dream of launching, the change you yearn to see in the world. It’s the pulse that keeps our ambitions alive, the invisible thread that pulls us forward when everything else pushes us back.
Untethering the Soul from the Outcome
Motivation wanes when we become tethered to the outcome, when our self-worth is chained to success or failure. It's in these times that I remind myself: I am not my outcomes. Untethering our soul from the outcome is akin to releasing a bird from a cage – suddenly, the world seems expansive, filled with possibilities and devoid of confining expectations. It is in this freedom that motivation finds fertile ground to grow.
The Mentor Within: Listening to Wisdom
What if motivation isn't something external that we need to chase? What if it’s a Mentor living within us, patiently waiting to be heard? When I silenced the external noise and tuned into Wisdom, I heard a gentle whisper, encouraging me to continue, affirming my journey. It was a pivotal realization – motivation was not a distant star but a spark within, rekindled by compassion and nourished by belief.
Staying in Motion: The Dance of Doing
In the face of dwindling motivation, action is both the hardest and the most liberating step. Starting a task, however small, shifts the focus from our internal state to the external act. It’s a beautiful dance, where action fuels motivation and motivation inspires further action. Even on the gloomiest days, when motivation seems like a distant memory, taking one step forward reignites the path.
The Comfort in the Discomfort
Holding on when all you want to do is let go is uncomfortable. But in this discomfort, I found my resolve. It’s in these trying moments that I've grown the most, learned the value of resilience, and tasted the sweet reward of accomplishment that waits patiently on the other side of perseverance.
Finding Our Place
Staying motivated is less about clinging to a fleeting emotion and more about finding our place within the journey – a place where we are comfortable with discomfort, where we listen to our Mentor, and where the outcome is a chapter, not the entire story.
Here I stand, not at the edge of giving up, but at the beginning of something profoundly beautiful.