We all have our lives to live. Some days are more difficult than others, we have good days and we have bad days. But what motivates you each day…keeps your fire lit…makes you tick? Do you ask yourself “What will I accomplish today?” or “How will I improve today?”? Is it your wife, kids, or parents? Is it GOD? Hopefully it’s all of the above.
It’s a lot easier to motivate yourself to accomplish things when you’re doing it for others. If you’re motivated strictly for yourself, it can be easier to “give up” on the things that will give your life meaning. I feel that you will work harder to be successful when you’re motivated by family and GOD. Each day you know that you need to provide for your wife, your kids, and at times even your parents, or your Boy/Girlfriend. But knowing that you live for a higher purpose, GOD, keeps you in check. It creates a motivation far deeper inside of you to do great things.
A great example is my family went on vacation because I thought I needed one, a very relaxing one. But as I looked at my wife and kids, I realized they needed it too, and probably more than I did. My wife has tended to me for 2 months after my neck surgery and my kids needed to get out of our house. We’ve been couped up in it for 2 months because I could hardly do anything. So we went to Florida and I decided that we would go there so the kids could have a good time.
When we got to Florida, it wasn’t the relaxing vacation I had envisioned. It was a vacation of pirate ships, tours, and seeing the dolphins at the aquarium- most notably “Winter the Dolphin” from A Dolphin Tale. My wife and kids absolutely loved it. It may not have been the relaxing vacation I had hoped for, but it was definitely needed for my family and I felt good about that.
While we were there, my wife Giovanna realized i needed a nice day to relax on the beach, so she played with the kids, while I soaked in the sun for a while. Relaxation, just what I needed! We all ended up getting what we wanted and we got it by being unselfish. Sometimes we need to do things that are more important to others…it’s a give and take. When you think about others’ needs, it does come back to you!
I’ve lived a life full of selfishness, especially when I was young. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the things that you’re doing are positive. There may be days when you don’t feel like doing anything, it’s normal, as long as you have short and long term goals that you want to accomplish. There’s a big difference between pacing yourself and moving forward and procrastination.
So what are YOU living for? If you’re living strictly for yourself and find that you have no motivation or meaning in your life, then try doing it for others, for GOD, and your life will become more complete. Oh it’s true, it’s Damn true!
