Is Your Motivation To or From?
abracad, · Categories: self helpPeople are motivated by many things, but most motivations fall into two broad categories. These are the desire to move to something desirable, or to escape from something undesirable. And whether we’re motivated to or from is determined at least as much by our particular character as the circumstances we experience.
Considering that our focus tends to realize itself (the so-called law of attraction) it's clear that a to-mentality is preferable to a from. However, we cannot simply change our character, and the motivation issue becomes one of making the best of what we are. As with much of the process of effectiveness the key is knowing yourself, ie the character you have been blessed with for this incarnation.
The from-motivated person is essentially unhappy. They tend to believe the old myth that the other man’s grass is always greener. The problem with this way of being is that their will is unguided. They don’t like what they have and so jump to anything else. So long as it’s different, it must be better. But it ain’t necessarily so...
The problem with the from mentality is that it too often pays too little attention to what it's moving to - the frying pan to the fire phenomenon. The from motivated tend to be pessimistic, maybe even depressive, focusing on the negatives of their current situation.
Whatever your current situation it is inevitably imperfect. Life is difficult and filled with problems to be overcome. That’s how we learn, and learning is why we’re here. It’s not wrong to try to better our present circumstances; it’s our very reason for being. But by focusing our thoughts on what we want to escape so we tend to create the same conditions in our new situation. The from motivated person will move in any of the 359 degrees that’s not where they’re going now. The desire for change for change sake, without due consideration to how we’d like our circumstance to be, is erroneous.
If you have a tendency to move away from that which you dislike, you're probably not the most detailed of planners. At least be sure to consider your proposed direction long enough to ensure it offers a likely improvement over what you're trying to leave.
In contrast the to motivated tend to be optimists, focusing on their positives and their potential to exploit them. For a start their thoughts are on where they'd like to be, and by that very process so that desired reality begins to come about. The to motivated person may be dissatisfied with their present conditions, but they will recognize the positives as well as the negatives. They will have a good self-knowledge and be well informed of the available options. Having researched the best of those that appeal, they will be in a position to make an informed choice of a pathway that will yield experience, satisfaction, and some possibility of success (however that be measured). They will move in the precise direction most likely to yield "success".
Whether your motivation is to or from, be happy that you are motivated at all - you at least have a purpose and reason to live. If we should ever lose all motivation our very purpose ceases and our reason for being vanishes - this is the time to seek professional help. But barring this, let’s be sure our admirable motivation is channeled towards an appropriate goal.
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Filed in: self help
I like this alot. It reminds me of this quote I heard some time ago.
If you think about disaster, you will get it. Brood about death and you hasten your demise.
Think positively and masterfully, with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience.
Thank you, good post.