Are you self-motivated?

By Dana Judeh

Life Coach

Having people who encourage and motivate us in various stages of our life is very important and crucial. But your ability to motivate yourself and keep your flame going is much more important.

Everything changes eventually, including peoples’ roles in your life and the extent of their devotion. You are the only constant factor who will stand for you. 

This is why self-motivation is so important. It is the ability to do what needs to be done without influence from others or the situation. Self-motivated people can find the strength to complete tasks, even when they are challenging, without giving up, blaming others or depending on others to encourage them. 

We always need a reason to push us to achieve our goals, feel more fulfilled and improve overall quality of life. This sense of purpose is the force that motivates us to stay in touch with our goals. 

That is why being aware of your purpose will keep you consistent. As the saying goes: “Getting motivated is easy; anyone can do that. The secret to long-term success is staying motivated.” 

Many of us initiate a task full of hope, energy, motivation and enthusiasm. But, unfortunately, later on in our journey, we start losing interest or face challenges that make us lose focus and enthusiasm. To get back on track and recharge our energy, we need to reflect on our source of self-motivation. 

Knowing about self-motivated people helps us understand the source of their motivation and how to create a different mind-set. If you are self-motivated, you: 

• Understand and believe that you are in control of your fate. The moment you want change, you have the power to create it. People who believe someone else is in control of their fate lack self-motivation and enthusiasm to push them through their weak periods; they are usually passive, blame everyone and definitely struggle with sustaining motivation 

•  Are able to see the bigger picture easily 

• Are committed to life-long learning; there is always more to know and understand 

• Possess good self-esteem with an attitude of success. You expect to win but can cope with failure because you see it as a learning curve

• Engage in self-reflection and possess self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses

• Strive for balance in work and play, health, emotions and spirituality

• Are persistent and determined. You don’t give up at the first sign of trouble. You know that the journey from good to great is made up of small changes, made consistently. For motivation to last, it needs to become a habit

Activating self-motivation requires taking responsibility for your own actions. This is exactly what successful people do, and it certainly serves them well. When you act like you are the only one who is responsible for your faults, you will act like the only one who can correct them — this gives you power and control. With self-empowerment, you can recharge yourself from within because you know well what it means to take your life seriously. 

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine