HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED

“Inspiration” and “motivation” are two words that are misinterpreted to hold the same meaning and are often used interchangeably. They may be similar conceptually but are completely different from each other in their true meaning. Inspiration is derived from “in spirit”, which essentially means from within. Whereas, motivation originates from “motive”, referring to an external force that compels us to take action.

Motivation usually comes into play when we need to carry out a difficult task, push through a stressful situation or need to meet a deadline. We usually rely on motivation when it comes to accomplishing something we may not necessarily look forward to. It’s that voice in your head that tells you “You can do this”, “It will be worth it” just when you are about to roll back into bed, tempted to miss your morning work or gym alarm. Motivation comes from results and that is exactly why it’s so easy to get demotivated. It’s fleeting, something that comes and goes and is hard to sustain.

Inspiration, on the other hand, comes from within us. It draws us towards something or someone that overwhelms us with that heart-stirring, spine-tingling feeling. We usually get inspired by an individual, a story, a situation or an event. When we are filled with inspiration, we are not worried about an end result, rather, we want to hold on to that feeling for as long as possible. When we refer to somebody as our inspiration, it’s because that individual has moved our emotions and intellect.

Inspired people don’t really need to rely on an external motivational factor to progress in life. They are not worried about the end result but instead, are focused on giving their 100% every day. When we are uninspired and don’t have a clear goal or vision, we tend to depend on external motivation to get things done. Being inspired gives us a feeling of meaning and purpose which is enough to keep pushing forward without having to sit around, waiting for motivation to come by.

If you are inspired to reach your goals, it doesn’t mean you won’t need a push every now and then. It just means that you won’t be looking for motivation every single time you get down. So, how to stay motivated? Find what inspires you, dig deep within and find what gets your heart racing, your blood-pumping — what is it that gets your juices flowing? And pursue it, with all you’ve got. If you are somebody who constantly struggles with motivation, you need to, first, be inspired to reach your goals and the motivation will follow.

Lots of Lovee..!!!

Shah Abdul Wahab