Every individual holds a spark inside them. Sometimes it is lit and provides an insatiable energy to pursue our dreams. Other times it flickers softly, waiting for us to breathe life into it and give it purpose. That spark is motivation.
Motivations are the reasons behind all of our decisions. They are the small voices that could lead us forward when everything seems heavy, or the voices that remind us why we started at all. For some, motivation is the sense of responsibility to create a better life for their families, while for others it is often the desire to prove to themselves that they can be more.
Motivation has many shapes, of which passion is one, and passion is when we choose to do things just because we love to do them. Sometimes our motivation comes from fear, where we choose to move because we want to avoid loss or failure. Motivation can come from recognition, because being recognized and acknowledged for our work gives meaning to our efforts. Even simple curiosity has been shown to be a strong motivator when it leads us into learning and exploration.
What is beautiful about motivation is that it is incredibly personal. What motivates someone may not move everyone. But in the end, every motivation drives us for the same reason: to move forward. Without motivation, we remain stationary. But with it, we create change.
The reality is, motivation does not always just come to us. Sometimes, we must create it. We create motivation by creating goals for ourselves, by reminding ourselves of our “why” and by surrounding ourselves with people and places of motivation, or in some cases people or places that drive you to do better. Motivation can build on itself, we create, celebrate small steps and small victories until one day – we reflect with pride on the amount of change we have created or how far we have come.
So ask yourself: What motivates me? It could be your family, it could be your dreams, it could be your faith, or it could simply be that you believe tomorrow can be better than today. Whatever it is, be sure to hold it close. Because the motivators you foster today, will be the power to drive you into the future you want.
