Where Does Motivation Come From?

Lately (meaning the past several years) I've been thinking about personal motivation. My question: how do I convince myself to do the things I want to do...or don't want to do, without a deadline imposed by someone else (or without extrinsic motivation)?

Some things I do because I like them. They're easy. They're comfortable. They flow. But sometimes I get to the end of a day or week and wonder why I wasn't able to accomplish what I had in mind or become the kind of person I envisioned. Here's what I've recently discovered: the best way to find personal motivation:

• Search your mind and heart for the feeling you want.

It seems that feelings drive behaviors. And more importantly, thoughts drive feelings. Basic psychology...yes. The way God made us...totally! If we want to do more or be more, we must discover through thoughtful discernment a desirable feeling that will drive our actions.

How do you apply this? Here's a simple two step process:

1. No matter what project, relationship or role for which you're needing more motivation, think about the feeling you're going for. Is it contentment, power, compassion, gratefulness, appreciation?


2. Match your actions to the feeling. For example, if you want to be more content in your relationship with your Senior Pastor, figure out what contentment would look like and what actions would be required of you. Do you need to ask to meet weekly for lunch? Do you need to meet your deadlines? Do you want to know what he really thinks of your art? Act on these thoughts: set up a lunch date, get clear on project deadlines and break the big ones into smaller chunks, ask your Pastor the dangerous questions about what he thinks of your creative performance.

Through these two simple steps you foster self-awareness and action. You choose how you want to think, feel and act. You do have choices. Other people do not have the power to dictate your thoughts, feelings and behaviors (though it can seem like it). Find the feeling you want and act thoughtfully. Then, watch your levels of intrinsic motivation soar.

One extremely important side note - some of the feelings we'd like to experience just aren't appropriate. Weed those out before you move to action. Most importantly, on a daily basis, ask God to align your desires with His own, and put actions to those desires. I can't wait to see what He does!