Motivation doesn’t work.
Willpower is worthless.
Courage is everything.
While these ideas might go against some of our deepest held beliefs, the evidence is overwhelming.
Motivation = Desire or Reason
“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” – Mario Andretti
Motivation comes from many sources; the longest lasting comes from within.
Yet motivation never lasts. Habits last. Commitment lasts. Motivations change.
Instead of worrying about motivation, just change your environment, change your situation.
The best way to do that is by taking action, by making a commitment, by using your courage.
Courage = Ability & Willingness to Act
“Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
Since courage is the ability to take proper action in the face of fear, grief, or pain – the best way we can help other people succeed is through encouragement. By giving others courage we can change the world.
All the motivation is the world is meaningless without accompanying action. Nothing great was ever accomplished without the courage to do.
As we encourage others, we lift ourselves as well.
Courage creates action. Action creates confidence. Confidence allows us to fulfill our potential.
It takes courage to align our actions with our values.
“When values, thoughts, feelings, and actions are in alignment, a person becomes focused and character is strengthened.” – John C. Maxwell
True success in life is found when our actions are aligned with our principles and values. The problem is most think that they can be motivated and use willpower to find success.
Often our actions match the values of what we think others want to see. They are not congruent with our own internal compass. This is when we make mistakes.
The more we follow our own guiding star, our own internal light, the more we can help others.
It starts with know who we are, so we can make sure that our actions always match.
The key is to be self-aware and focused.
Self-esteem is not confidence.
“Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don’t let these feelings stop them.” – T. Harv Eker
They are very different.
Self-esteem is the belief in who you are. Confidence is the belief in your ability.
I am vs. I can.
Confidence can be built.
But it takes courage.
The more we see others as human, provide others with encouragement
Confidence doesn’t come from within, it is created as we fight to take the correct action.
When we are confident, we can help others.
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
The best way to help someone is to give them courage, to provide honest support, and show them consideration through care, concern, and curiosity.
When we become better versions of ourselves, we can help more people.
You are more powerful than you realize. Keep going.
If you want to become better, fill your mind with better thoughts.
Some recommended reads:
1. Applied Empathy by Michael Ventura
2. Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
3. Humanity Works by Alexandra Levit
4. Digital Darwinism by Tom Goodwin
5. The Authenticity Principle by Ritu Bhasin
6. The Leadership Gap by Lolly Daskal
7. The Trusted Executive by John Blakey
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