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Career Moves - Where's The Motivation???
By Jim Pawlak
Janet and Duane went to a daylong, motivational seminar about a month ago. They brimmed with self-motivation for about three weeks. During that brief time they picked up sticky notes, desk calendars and pictures for their offices all with self-help slogans. Their inner drive waned quickly. The sticky notes were used for messages, the calendars only marked the day and the pictures became wall hangings. After three weeks they found they were doing the same old things the same old way. They went from motivational hyper-drive to neutral. They wrote and asked, "What's wrong? Why didn't the seminar work?" The answer is simple, yet complex. They didn't make it work. A seminar isn't a one-shot cure-all. It's just a starting point. An eight-hour dose of motivational programming only works when the attendees take the advice to heart and choose to live an Attitude-is-Everything life every day.
People must find ways to sustain motivation. The process begins with understanding the difference between dedication and discipline. Dedication is doing what you like to do and doing it well ever day. Discipline is doing what you don't like to do and doing it well every day. Discipline magically transforms itself into dedication once positive results are seen and the inner drive to maintain those results kicks into gear.
Here's what I mean. Back in 1991, I decide that I needed to get back into shape. Too many years of playing road warrior, living out of a suitcase and entertaining clients had taken its toll. Instead of heading for the nearest gym, I decided to work with a personal trainer. Why? I knew that if I decided to go it alone that I'd let other things get in the way of my trips to the gym. With the trainer, I had to make appointments - kind of like a motivational sticky note. If I didn't show, I still paid - another motivator. Three workouts a week became part of my routine.
At first, I sure didn't look forward to working out. Developing discipline wasn't easy. The trainer provided me with much-needed reinforcement. His encouragement was what I needed to stay with the program. He gave me books on fitness and weightlifting to read. I didn't just read them. I learned from them. I saw results and liked what I saw. Moreover, I knew I didn't want to look and feel the way I did before I began the workouts. After a while, I began enjoying pumping iron and huffing and puffing on the treadmill. Somewhere along the line, discipline had transformed itself into dedication.
I left the trainer to workout on my own in late 1991. I've been faithfully working out three to four times each week ever since. I even workout when I'm on vacation. When I tore tendons in my elbow, I had the perfect excuse to stop. I didn't. I simply focused on aerobic training and leg exercises instead. This year has been more of a struggle. Just so much other stuff going on. I decided I needed a workout partner and a return to scheduled workout times. It didn't take long to find one at the gym - Jim Rice needed a partner for the same reasons I did. We're both back on track; if one of us slacks off the other is there to say, "Get with the program."
When it comes to motivation, there is no magic wand. It's hard work. You have to make it happen. To do that, you need a motivation tool kit filled with books, tapes and people with like minds. The books and tapes can only show you some methods. Positive people can help you choose the methods that work best for you, encourage you, take you to task and applaud you. They form your support group.
Your success depends on what you do after the motivational seminar.
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