There is a super common motivation mistake I see all the time. In fact, I often catch myself making it! Today I don’t just want to point it out to you (though I will), I want to give you two powerful ways to fix it.
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click the play button. Otherwise, keep reading below.
Once I tell you the mistake, you’re going to realize just how simultaneously obvious and insidious it is. Ready?
You don’t take action on what inspires you.
I’ll give you a recent example. Just yesterday I shared a post on Instagram that was originally posted by Agent Steven. Here’s the post:
People loved it. Of course they did. It’s inspiring. It makes you say, “Yeah!!!” People commented, “I love this! I’m printing it out! This will be my fight song this year!”
And that’s awesome. But it’s also where people stop.
This is the biggest motivation mistake.
We see something we like. It makes us feel excited and empowered for about 30 seconds. We screenshot it, like it, bookmark it…
And then we move on.
There’s a graveyard of things that once motivated & inspired us that we never acted on.
They inspired us but failed to change us. Because we didn’t decide to act on them. They went to the idea graveyard full of potential & promise.
There are two things I want to challenge you to do differently. Two ways to fix this insidious motivation mistake.
- When something inspires you, immediately ask yourself: What will I do differently today because of this?
- Add that motivating thing (quote, image, idea) to your calendar on at least 10 future dates with that same question.
Let’s use this post as an example.
I too was moved by this post. That’s why I saved it and shared it. If I’m looking at for the first time, I’m going to ask myself that question:
What will I do differently today because of this?
There are tons of options, but I’m gonna focus on one idea. Be fierce. I love that. What can I do differently today to be fierce? I will run a mile as fast as I can. Why not? I never do that, I hate to run, it will require that I be fierce and determined. It’s outside my comfort zone. Done. Doing it.
Maybe your choice is to de-clutter your car or your desk. Maybe it’s to actually unfollow negative people on social media. Maybe you shut your mouth and don’t participate in the gossip while you share that glass of wine with your friend.
DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
But that’s just step one.
Then, you’re going to go into your calendar. Because this idea or image is going to fade from your memory, I want you to schedule it for the future. It’s potential to change you won’t end today. You’re scheduling it in for future motivation.
Copy and paste the quote, image or idea into 10 different appointments (on 10 different days) with that question: What will I do differently today because of this?
When you do this, the days of your calendar become populated with quotes, images or ideas that inspires you and that action question: What will I do differently today because of this?
Now the things that motivate or inspire you will change you.
Side note: limit yourself to one idea/quote/image per day in your calendar. You don’t need your calendar cluttered with 6 different ideas. One per day is plenty!