Staying motivated in America

One of the greatest internal dynamics that any human can possess is motivation. Life is very difficult for many Americans because they have lost their motivation.

I recently saw a story about a 100-year-old man who sky dived out of an airplane. The reporter covering the story said he also enjoys doing yoga and apparently enjoys living an active life.

I’m amazed with a local friend of mine who at the age of almost 80 continues to build and sell hotels. He owns several but occasionally sells a couple for a lot of money and then builds another one or two. He started with very little but just kept trying and today he has millions of dollars.

We’ve all heard stories of people who just kept trying. We hear the success stories but often we don’t hear too much about all the people who spent years trying and eventually gave up. They became discouraged and gave up.

Nashville has hundreds of gifted musicians who have never made it to the top and thousands more who gave up and went home. Lot’s of people have dreamed of being President of the United States and worked hard to achieve their goal but it hasn’t happened for them and never will.

Millions have dropped out of college, failed at marriage, failed as parents, failed at dieting and exercise and feel hopeless at life.

How do you stay motivated when you feel like you have failed?

Do something you enjoy. Why do we have to be so serious all the time? Life is serious. People get sick and die. We battle cancer and other diseases. We struggle with money and relationships and other people complicate our lives. The hardest thing you may accomplish this week is to do something fun but I suggest you to engage in something that is entertaining and fun for you. Too many Americans are burned out in survival mode. They desperately tread the choppy waters of life. Stress, lack of sleep and worries fill their every day. You might die tomorrow so what is there that you might enjoy doing today? Doing something that brings a smile to your face occasionally is good for your heart and spirit. I always found that if I enjoy something just a little then I am drawn to it like a magnet.

Don’t jump off cliffs without a parachute. If you have a day job then hold onto it until something else works out. Having a stable job of some sort is usually tiring and stressful. However, if you have a paycheck coming in then you have the mental wherewithal to experiment and be creative. You will have less time to be creative but at least you will have food in your stomach while you are trying. Stability normally gives us a foundation to stand on and enhances motivation.

Finally, have something that you are going to do tomorrow. We must have something that we want to do tomorrow so that we are motivated to get out of bed, shower and pursue the day.

Glenn Mollette is a syndicated columnist and author of 11 books. His views do not reflect those of the LVN.