Motivation is the activation or energization of goal-oriented behavior

Let me tell you a quick story. When I started my business in 1993, I faced all the challenges experienced by most new business start-ups. I also had to deal with the all the negative situations; the people who said ? ?The Speaking and Training business is a hard market to break into, it?s very competitive, you?re very brave! There was also the rejection from potential customers and the people who?d let me down at the last minute. I quickly realised that if I was going to be successful, there were two things that I really needed. Lots of BRAIN ENERGY and lots of BODY ENERGY. Sure-fire tip number 1 is ? Build your Brain Energy. Imagine that you?ve just been rejected for a bank loan, or you?ve just been turned down by a potential customer, or a publishing company has rejected the book that you?ve slaved over for the past couple of years. If you react with ? ?Oh no, not again, I?m really fed up with this. These people are a real pain. They?re making a big mistake. What am I going to do now??This sort of reaction drains your brain of energy, adds to your stress levels and destroys your self motivation. Reacting drains the brain ? thinking less so. Get the thinking part of your brain working and say to yourself ? ?I?ll make an appointment today with a better bank! I?ll phone the next potential customer on my list right now! The next publishing company will see the potential in my book!?There are also many minor situations that happen every day that?ll drain the energy from your brain. If I receive a parking ticket, I pay the fine right away; get rid of it; forget it and move on. Moaning and complaining about it drains the brain and the fine still has to be paid. Do not, and I repeat, do not say ? ?Oh no, what am I going to do now?? Every time you say ? ?Oh no? your brain has a huge drain of energy. Build up your brain energy using lots positive self-talk. Your level of success in terms of your happiness, emotional wellbeing and anything else you desire is a direct result of how you talk to yourself. The most important relationship you?ll ever have is the one you have with yourself. Listen to the self-talk that goes on in your head and ask yourself ? ?Is what I?m saying allowing me to be confident, on top and going for it?? If so ? great! ?Or is it holding me back and stopping me achieve my goals?? If this is the case ? STOP IT, change the program!Think about the things you say to yourself and make every statement in the present tense. Don?t say, for example ? ?I?m going to make a success of this business? or ?I?m going to get organised,? or ?I?m going to be much more confident. ? Say ? ?I am totally in control of my life. I am totally confident and positive. I?m achieving my goals. I have determination and drive. ? What you?re actually doing here is re-programming your subconscious. If you talk to yourself in a positive way, that?s what your subconscious will focus on and you?ll have lots of brain energy Sure-fire tip number 2 is – Build your Body Energy The body and the brain are linked together so when the brain drains of energy so does the body. However, the body also does a lot of running about, up and down off the seat and often takes a bit of a beating. For it to work well, it needs to be in good condition in the first place. We all know by now that if we eat too much or eat the wrong things, smoke too much or drink too much alcohol, then our body is in danger of breaking down. However, if you want more body energy, then you?re going to have to do some exercise. (Do I hear you saying – ?I need the body energy before I can do the exercise!??) You know as well as I, that if you take more exercise, you will have more energy. Now I know you think you don?t have the time. You may also be the type that doesn?t want to go to the gym and lift heavy things or leap about in an aerobics class; however, you need to take some exercise that makes you sweat a little. I?m sorry, but a round of golf doesn?t count, it isn?t the kind of exercise you need. Golf is great and it?s good for the stress but it doesn?t make you sweat. If you?re going to walk then walk fast for a distance, enough to push up the heart rate and increase the breathing. Again, get your internal program right and start to think how you can make your exercise enjoyable. I see some people at the health club making the whole business a real chore. They get on a bike or a rowing machine and try to kill themselves for twenty minutes. If that?s your thing then fine but please don?t make it a chore, plug into the sound system and catch up with what?s on TV. If you?re really not into exercise then please make sure you have other activities outside of your workplace and make them fun. Too many people are going home and slumping in front of the TV – successful people don?t do that. Make no mistake about it; if you look after the body and the brain; you?ll have lots of VROOM! (And that?s another word for self-motivation)

Let me ask you a quick question; do you have any children? I don?t have any children, however, I appreciate the challenges that parents face and I?m most reluctant to tell anyone how to bring up their children.

Whether you do or don?t have children, I?m certain you appreciate the importance of raising them to be happy and successful.
To do that, you?d take a great deal of interest in them and what they?re doing; show you care about them and give them lots of your time and attention.

Children show us from an early age that they want lots of attention. We become aware of this by the way they physically and emotionally, reach out to us. If we fail to provide their required level of attention or acknowledgement, then they?ll almost certainly let us know; usually by behaving badly.

Some parents have difficulty in giving time and attention and often bribe or pay their children to be successful with offers of gifts or money. ?Pass your exams and I?ll buy you a new bicycle!? However, children want presence not presents and if they fail to receive their acceptable level of attention and acknowledgement, then they may behave badly.

Not a lot changes when we become adults; we still crave attention and acknowledgement from other people. We look for it from our partners, friends, children, parents and, very importantly – our boss at work!

Successful Motivational Managers realise this and provide their staff with attention and acknowledgement.

They spend quality time with every member of their staff, giving feedback on job performance; be it good or bad.

They listen to problems, both business and personal; they show interest and help the staff member find solutions

They show that they trust and believe in their staff by empowering them to make decisions and be responsible for their actions

Successful Motivational Managers do not bribe or pay their staff to be successful. Incentives, bonuses and prizes are all acceptable; however, they will never replace attention and acknowledgement.

Some food for thought; take a minute and think about someone in your life who you did your best for. Perhaps it was a parent, a teacher or a manager. What was it about them that made you want to do your best; was it presence or presents??

I am doing a project in my psychology class and I have to figure out where motivation comes from. I have to figure out where motivation comes from in the work place. Does one get motivated by pay increases etc, or does motivmotivation come from other factors such as personal goals that one has set for ones self. What motivates you?
Please let me know what you think and why.

Hey I have upcoming exams within 9 -10 days and my motivation is quite low.
I really need a boost if I am going to achieve the grades necessary for me to do well in life …………………>
If someone can give some good motivating tips I would be more than grateful! x