How To Find Meaning and Motivation in Life
by Craig Lock

Firstly, ask yourself the following questions:

What do you want out of life?

What do you value most? What does your life say to you? Which means to say: What has been the purpose of it so far? Ever thought about it? Funny question for all of us when one day just seems to drift into another. What ideals do you aspire to? What is your core value (or values). In other words, ask yourself this: what is the single most important value I stand for in my life, my core reason for being?

Write your answers down on a blank sheet of paper. Then ask the person nearest and dearest to you to do the same. Make a quiet time when you won't be disturbed. Spend this uninterrupted time while you talk about your lives together: your values, goals and dreams - for yourself and for the family This is a great opportunity for you to spend quality time sharing your innermost fears, goals and dreams with someone you love. If you are single, just love yourself (my motto is: 'fall in love with yourself and be sure of a life-long romance'). You can also find out what those nearest and dearest to you really want out of life and from you. What are their expectations of you? Usually very different from what you think they are! Ask yourself: Are you living out your values? Do you have a dream? If so, do you value your dream? Is it that important to you? How important? What steps do you need to take in order to achieve it? You may have to ask for help from others; because not all goals can be achieved by you alone.

The Bible said that man must have a vision ("Without a vision the people perish"). The famous painter Jean Monet said that there are two kinds of people:

	those who want to be someone, or
	those who do something.

Do you want to be one of them or not? Nothing wrong with that at all, if that's what you truly want out of life. Just to be an inconspicuous ordinary person. Those people are generally far happier than the achievers, who are continually striving towards success with great hopes and dreams. Great! Except don't repeat the word 'great', dumbo. I teach that in my creative writing course. Rather say 'wonderful'.

MOTIVATION:

I think that I am a very motivated person, who throws himself into situations with enthusiasm. Just live and let live. Not the James Bond movie.

Our motivation varies from day to day. No-one can expect to be greatly motivated all of the time. There are often times when I need motivation and emotional nourishment. Some days when I'm "not in the mood", writing is such a "drag" and I have to force myself to do it, like any other job. This is probably the area in which you can develop and improve yourself the most. I believe the potential to motivate yourself is unlimited and it is a key element in making the most of yourself. I also think that your level of motivation will probably be the most important single factor that determines where you'll finish up in life. A good "spur on". So that makes it easy to work on!

Let us now look at some of the theory behind human motivation. Now lets go into a bit more depth down the mine... I believe success, even small amounts of it, is the best motivator of all, to keep one going, whatever the quest.

When motivation comes from within, it is self-fulfilling. What motivates people to do what they do? Is it to gain approval, recognition or reward from someone else? This, I believe, is often the case and is known as a reinforcement or reward theory of motivation - a fancy term used by the psychologists, when you do things for personal gain. Or it could be the 'pain' theory of motivation, where you take action out of a fear of punishment (or pain). These two approaches are sometimes known as the "carrot" and the "stick" approach.

Spend some quiet time to reflect on motivation and what it means to you personally: What do you want your tombstone to say? What drives you? Ford, Nissan, Holden, VW Beetle or Chevrolet (for American readers)? What motivates you, "presses your hot buttons"... and makes your "heart sing"?

See Also:

Believing in You
You have great potential. When you believe in all you can be, rather than all you cannot become, you will find your place on earth.

21 Life Changing Questions You Can't Afford to Not Ask
Imagine what you want most in life right now. Dream BIG. Think of what your ideal life would look like. See all the tiny details. You have no limitations. You can have exactly what you want.

Manipulate Life Or Let it Manipulate You
Most people live their lives, but are not in control of them. We’re all affected by circumstances that go beyond what we can anticipate, but most of us fail to plan ahead or take the time to think about what’s next.

Craig's FREE e-book Steps to Success is now available at: http://www.bridgeniche.com/stepstosuccess/