I was chatting with a woman I work with and she told me that I am one of the most motivated people she knows, which was so kind of her… But it really got me thinking. What exactly is motivation and how does it emerge as a personality trait in an individual?
When I Googled “motivation” this is what came up: [Noun] “The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way; The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.”
So what am I motivated to do? I am motivated to lead a healthy lifestyle… But what exactly is a “healthy lifestyle” and how do I plan on achieving this? For me, it’s all about balance… Eating healthy foods – but not depriving myself of a cake pop here and there; working out regularly – but acknowledging that I am off to a pretty kick ass start already; to work hard – but play harder; to love unconditionally- always cherishing the moment while I am in it and the people while I am with them.
A TEDx talk that I recently watched was Dan Pink’s “The Puzzle of Motivation” [TEDx] in which he describes that traditional forms of rewards may not be as effective for motivation as we think. If you want people – especially in the business world – to perform better, you reward them… Right?
As I have grown up, I have realized that life works the same way as many businesses when it comes to motivation. If you eat healthy and take care of your body with physical activity, life rewards you additional years of living, (hopefully) fewer negative experiences with your health, and more time with the ones we love. The best kind of motivation for me is one that comes from within… no matter how healthy I eat and often I hit the gym, people telling me that I look great just isn’t enough. I have to feel the burn in my muscles the morning after the gym, and feel mentally relaxed (no wonder they say exercise is the best stress relief!)
A big motivator in my life right now encouraging me to maintain a healthy lifestyle is my family. Parents are not getting any younger and it is important to realize that we must take care of our bodies, especially as we get older. Certain people in my life are good daily reminders that sometimes things in life are out of our control and sometimes they aren’t… but the things that we can control we must work hard at. My motivators are simple: I want to live. Sounds odd to say, but it is true… I want to have a family and be healthy and fit enough to play with my children and go on adventures with my partner; I want to be healthy enough to grow old and watch the world grow old with me.
What motivates you? Let’s connect on Twitter and you can follow my personal blog – let’s encourage each other to give our Lifestyle a good KICK!
