Five Things That Motivate Me
Hello! Welcome back to today’s blog! Today, we’re going to talk about a little thing called motivation. You might be great at writing things in your planner, and making appointments, and thinking about all the great things that you want to do, but you might be lacking the get-up-and-go - that’s motivation. It’s the want or need to start or do something, usually by some external force.
For example, the dishes are piling up in the kitchen. You have no plans for the day, and watching your favourite show on Netflix is more appealing. But, if you have company coming over, I bet you’re motivated to show that you keep your kitchen nice and tidy, so, you do the dishes.
For some people, it may seem like they don’t need external motivation. They just get up and do it. For example, I was having a conversation with some ladies while I was shopping one day. They were talking about making the bed in the morning. One woman said she never did, and it’s nothing she consiously ever thought about; she just didn’t do it. I told them that I did. They wanted to know why, and I said “I don’t know - I just got into the habit of doing it, and now I do it every morning, no matter what”. That’s not exactly true - I do know the initial reason - it’s because I wanted my room to look clean, neat and tidy, and making my bed each morning makes it look that way. Once a room looks good, I know that I don’t have to go back in there later to clean it up and it saves me time later in the day.
You might ask, what other things motivate me? Well, let’s talk about it…
My business…
I started my business from nothing. I just started a YouTube channel one day and I went from there. I added and grew as I went along, until a few years later, I have a blog, a sticker shop, multiple social media accounts and an affiliate platform. What makes me get up and want to do it? Simply put - happiness. I found my niche in the world, despite all the forces dragging me elsewhere. I know what my passion has always been, and I found a way to do it from home. I knew that I no longer wanted to work for anyone else again, and I wanted to do something I actually enjoyed on my own time. I take direction, but I prefer to make the decisions in my business. I have ownership, and my time is going to something that matters to me, it’s not just a means to an end (to get a paycheque).
My kids…(and husband, and all my family)
When it comes to people I love, I give whole heartedly. If my kids want a snack, and I don’t feel like doing it, I get up and do it anyway because I love them. My son can do a lot for himself now that he’s ten, but there’s something special about someone doing something for you. (Have you noticed that food always tastes better when someone else makes it for you?)
Even if I’m not up for celebrating and hosting a big birthday party, I do it anyway so my kids can enjoy their big day. There are so many things that I do on a daily basis for my family simply because I love them and care for them.
My core values…
I am a user of Franklin Covey/Franklin Planner, and in their planner system, they talk about core values and roles, and how they relate to your goals. They need to be in alignment in order for your goals to have a “why” that you’re willing to work on. (If you don't really care about your goal, you’re not going to accomplish it). Some of my core values include authenticity, integrity, kindness, balance, respect and honesty. If I do something in my life that goes against one of my core values, it does’t make me feel good. For example, if I’ve devoted my time to a project or goal that I care about, and I haven’t done a job that I’m proud of, I’ll go back and do it again. I would feel so much guilt for doing a shoddy job the first time that my conscience wouldn’t allow me to sit back and say “Well, at least it’s done”. (That’s why I hate that phrase better done than perfect). I don’t think everything has to be perfect, but why bother doing it in the first place if you’re not going to give it your full, best effort?
Time to myself…
I make it a habit to wake up at 5:00am most weekdays (on school days), and I go to bed late almost every day. Why do I do this? Not always by choice. Since I’ve decided to take my business seriously and not treat it like some passing fancy or half-time hobby, and I have three kids with a household to run while my husband works out of town, I’m always busy. I don’t get time to sit around. So, I work my ass off every day to try to reach a point where I can do some of the things I love each day. I might only accomplish one per day (i.e. reading and having a shower one day, and maybe personal development the next day). In order to have that time for myself to work on me - whether it’s growing and learning, hanging out with friends, going to karaoke, or reading a personal development book, I keep going and I usually don’t stop to take breaks. I’ve been tracking myself and I average 10,000 steps per day simply looking after the house and doing things for my kids. If that’s not moving, I don’t know what is!
Monetary Things…
I have two subscription boxes/companies that I regularly order from, and I treat them like a treat. (Literally) It’s kind of what I bribe myself with. For example, if there’s a chore I particularly hate (cleaning the bathrooms), I will do it on the day that the subscription box is going to come. Then, to build up motivation to clean, and while I’m cleaning, I’ll tell myself once I’m done, I’ll be able to open my subscription box. I mean technically, it’s mine, and I can open it any time. But, I hold off because I know the chore needs to be done regardless and this makes me feel like I get a reward once I’m done. It’s the same concept as writing exams in school, and then celebrating with drinks or a party after. Another added bonus is I get to enjoy a clean bathroom!
Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed todays blog, and we’ll see you next week!
❤️ Sandra
