Get and Stay Motivated

We all posses the greatest of all freedoms; the power to dream. This is the ability to develop our innermost selves to be in line with the harmony of the universe. Oscar Wilde once said, “When you live in your passion and you do what you love the universe conspires on your behalf.” 

Here is the catch part, “doing what you love.” In order to do that you have to first know what that is. This brings us right to step one: Identifying the goal and giving birth to a dream. 

Some of us know what we want and always have. We have maintained a clear vision of our dream possibly as far back as the womb. If you already know what you want and what makes you happy you are way ahead of the game. Feel free to pass go, collect your $200.  

However, some of us don’t have this clarity and find ourselves lost in our own lives. Often when I talk to people about pursuing their passion they confide in me with deep concern that they don’t know what they are passionate about. This is a common problem. Not only have so many people shut off their desires for fear of being “selfish and egotistical”, but they have also given up hope for fear of disappointment. They are afraid of wanting, terrified that their dreams will be dashed yet again in a lifetime programmed with deprivation.  

Others of you might feel that dreams are like unicorns, the silly musings of little children. Adults don’t dream. Adults are practical. They do what is expected of them and follow the “should rules” because that is what being an adult is all about. We couch this line of crap in what I call the responsibility sandwich. 

If this is you… no wonder you're unhappy. You are wildly off base and out of alignment with your higher calling… and that SUCKS. 

For all these reasons many of us actually forget HOW to dream. We go about our lives quietly and somewhat comfortably numb. Not experiencing the lows, but not experiencing the highs either. Not really living, but merely existing. 

Living a life without a dream is like a ship that’s lost at sea. It’s true that life is in the journey, but you can’t embark (or at least you shouldn’t) until you have a destination charted. Think about it. When you plan a trip so many different factors come into play and you prepare for the trip based on those facts. How much fuel do you need based off of distance to location? How much food should you pack based on travel time? Which direction do you need to head in? What clothes should you pack based on weather? And so on. All these details are critical to your success and if you don’t have an end goal in mind then how can you prepare? And failing to plan often means planning to fail.  

Identifying, defining, and emotionally connecting to your dreams is the first step towards happiness and success and although dreaming is as natural as breathing, most of us have forgotten how. We are terrified to hope, paralyzed by thoughts of failure, ashamed of our desires and for absolutely no good reason.

In this world of infinite possibility there are no deficits, lacks, or shortages. There is abundance in the universe from which your dreams are born. The key is to cultivate your passion in order to identify and develop your dreams and find meaning on scales large and small.

Perfecting the art of dreaming requires the use of your imagination. Your future is born in your imagination. You can change your life by changing your mind. It’s really that cut and dry. Nothing is impossible for the willing mind. Therefore, developing and nourishing the joy in your life to spark imagination and create purpose is where we begin.

ASK YOURSELF WHAT'S IMPORTANT 
Homework time. Grab a pen and a paper or since it’s like 2019 you can grab your laptop and let’s get to work on the following exercises. The idea here is to start becoming conscious of what makes you happy and what doesn’t so you can build on those things and get realigned with your true calling.  

1. Take stock of your work history, education and volunteerism. Look deep into those experiences and try to identify traits. Maybe you’re really good at public speaking, organizing people or working with computers. Did you like theater class in college? Do you like a corporate environment or a more intimate setting? Do you like the adventure of a start up or prefer the security of big business? Do you like to volunteer at your local animal shelter on the weekends?  

2. Make a list of your interests & hobbies. Your true passion may lie hidden in things you don’t do for money. Can’t wait to start gardening in the spring? Love to make cook for family and friends? Do you spend your free time making crafts to give out as presents?

There is no reason you can’t turn your favorite hobby into a career. Look at some of the amazing pioneer entrepreneurs who have done just that. Martha Stewart started a catering business out of her basement. Coco Chanel started as a seamstress with no formal training in fashion or design. Walt Disney dropped out of high school at 16 to animate cartoons… I mean come on! And then there’s me. A 17-year-old kid who fell into fitness training because it made me feel strong. And here we are back to the beginning… “when you do what you love the universe conspires on your behalf”. An extracurricular activity may become your best business bet and bring meaning into your life in ways you never imagined possible.
    
3. What are your aptitudes. Acknowledge your preferences. Great with numbers, bad with words? Prefer to work alone or do you like a fun, rambunctious workplace?  Also be sure to take note of the things you aren’t great at and don’t pursue them.

I always wanted to be a doctor, but I can’t stand the sight of blood so I moved into a different area of health that was broader and gave me freedom without the gore of medicine or the depression of illness. There are many different ways to skin a cat. When picking your way let your natural abilities and disabilities guide you.
    
4. Pay attention to your values and ethics. You’ll be miserable in any business that creates an internal conflict. For example, by remaining true to your love of the environment you won’t be tempted to buy a gas station – no matter how much money it could make. If you're deeply religious then you probably won’t wanna get into the night club business. Yes, I am being a little silly, but I am making a point. You simply won’t be happy doing something that contradicts you at your core so avoid those paths like a plague and pursue avenues that are in alignment with your spiritual center.
          
5. Try it you’ll like it. Most people have no idea what they will like because they lack the information to judge it accurately. They imagine what a new behavior will feel like and their predictions often come up negative.  

I saw this so often with my contestants on the Biggest Loser. On season 7 I decided that I was going to teach my contestants how to surf. Well, it seemed that I would never hear the end of all their bitching and moaning. “We are fat we can’t surf. I hate the sand. It’s gonna be cold. I will look stupid in a wetsuit.” Blah blah blah. This went on for the entire week leading up to our beach outing.  

They got in their wetsuits, on their boards, and into the water. Then something amazing happened… They all fell in love with the water. They got to meet other surfers who were helping me teach them and giving them pointers. They got to see dolphins and seals playing just feet away in the waves. They got a great workout paddling around and even caught a few waves. Suddenly I had a pack of surfer riders on my hands. All they wanted to know was when we could go again? Could they try a different board next time? Their enthusiasm for the sport knew no bounds that day.

Bottom line, try it, you just might like it. You don’t know until you do, so don’t shut off opportunities that might hold the key to your future out of fear or ignorance.

Wayne Dyer said “being in-spirit is a direction we take rather then a destination to be reached. Living our life in spirit requires us to determine that direction and we do so by noticing our thoughts and behaviors. Once you begin to observe your thoughts you may realize there are many times you are going in the wrong direction.”

So remember that they way you answer the above exercise questions should come from your heart, not your head. Don’t write something down because you think you should. The key to meaning is authenticity. Remember, the universe called you here to do one thing— be you. That is your one job in this life. And that is the contribution you must make to the world. So make sure that you are authentic and truthful in all your pursuits and offerings. Through self-understanding, you’ll find that perfect fit.