Motivation is not just magic; start to look within

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Motivation is not just magic. It does not come in a bottle. Rather it should come from within. You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making. The true measure of success is how many times you can bounce back from failure and that is motivation. Says Carol Burnett, ‘Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.’

Opines corporate and leadership coach Shome Mukherjee, Among many others factors, the 3Ms of life can really motivate and make us overcome many a odds in life. What are the 3Ms? They are Movies, Music and Meditation, explains Mukherjee.

Movies are the mirror of life, music is the biggest therapy and meditation is the greatest journey within. Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it with these 3Ms, adds Mukherjee.

Talking about motivation, while addressing a gathering, author Chetan Bhagat once said, most people know the answers to life’s problems but what they lack is motivation.

Bhagat’s mantra for success is (a) Setting clear goals (b) Knowing the reasons behind the goals (c) Detailed action plan (d) Setback dealing mechanism (e) Faith.

Each and every one of us has those days when we are just not relaxed. We somehow manage to crawl out of bed and tackle the day; we are mentally and physically drained. And even when mentally upset, we don’t have the luxury to stay in bed all day. We have to go out for work and manage our lives. When this happens, it’s time to motivate ourselves and overcome the emotional hurdles.

Explains psychiatrist Dr Sanjay Chugh: Motivation arises as a result of two different circuits in the brain. We should motivate ourselves by looking at what we stand to gain by doing something or by seeing what we stand to lose if we don’t do it. Both thoughts become strong reinforcers, hence are motivators.

Here are few ways to motivate ourselves everyday:

First thing in the morning, review your goals and pick one thing
Come on, get happy
Get motivated by others
Have fun
Lengthy lists prevent us from achieving success, cut it short
Find a partner in crime
Take a break

We should keep it in mind that most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have motivated themselves and kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Last but not the least, learn to celebrate yourself, when nobody else celebrates you. It’s not up to other people to keep you encouraged. It’s up to you to keep yourself motivated and happy. Encouragement and motivation should come from the within. And yes movies, music and meditation might help you.