by Linda-Ann Stewart

Sometime in your past, you may have started to make a change in your life. You might have started to paint your house, lose weight, or work on a project. And like most people, you probably lost your passion for it pretty quickly. Although you launched your attempt with enthusiasm, the day-to-day reality of it eroded away the excitement, and it became a bullet point on your list of “good intentions.”

Zig Ziglar, legendary speaker, said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” For some reason, people believe that once you’ve been exposed to a concept, or a new belief, or begun a new process of change, it should just keep going like the Energizer Bunny. They think it should develop a life of its own, be self-sustaining and propel itself with its own momentum.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. You have to keep refreshing your motives, and reminding yourself of the benefits of your goal. To continue to move forward, you have to keep your emotional fire stoked to provide it with energy. It’s like exercising, sleeping, or eating. They need to be done each day to keep your physical body strong and healthy. If you go without any of them for a day or more, you’re going to notice their absence by feeling weaker and confused.

The same is true of motivation and even optimism. They have to be nourished and nutured each day, too. If you go too long between jolts of inspiration, you tend to run out of steam. I’ve known people to burn out because they thought they could coast on their original motivation and desire. They soon ran out of juice and lost focus. You have to fill your inner well frequently and consistently to be able to continue to progress.

Years ago, I wanted to begin a walking program, but I couldn’t get myself motivated to get started. So I cut out articles about how walking was beneficial, and read those articles every day. Within a week, I was eager to begin my training. Whenever I felt like quitting, I just read those articles and remembered how much better I felt after a walk.

Copyright 2013 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved