Here’s what I believe.
When you’d stop a random person on the streets (assuming you had the courage to do so; let’s be honest here you probably don’t—if you’re where I was just five years ago, maybe you’re already confident then kudos to you!)…
…And asked them the following question:
“Hey Sir/Madam, what drives/motivates you?”
You’d get one of these three answers:
- Status (or money)
- Pleasure (or avoiding possible pain)
- “The x factor”
Since the majority will tell you either the first or second, the third one is interesting. Why? Because it’s what I believe is true motivation.
Everything else is motivating you until you suddenly give up (coz it’s exhausting… someone’s always better/prettier/more hard working than you). However, I was having a really hard time coming up with a precise term for this one. For me now, it’s personal values.
Other thought leaders may call it integrity or moral obligation or ethics.
To me it’s values—to keep it short + simple.
Mine are:
Passion, personal growth, mastery.
These three serve as my guiding principles to make decisions.
Can you imagine me being indecisive? It happens. Especially when I’m not focused on my values. That’s why I have a proper morning routine and bedtime routine to stay focused when it matters most:
Throughout the day.
You got to preserve your energy to be focused throughout the day, and you got to be mentally strong to do the things that push you towards your dreams.
That’s basically it in a nutshell.
I wish you success.