In this post I share my views on Motivation and Inspiration. I tell you how I keep myself inspired.
Motivation: You write a book, a blog so you can sell your ideas and get to more people. There is always something that motivates you. It’s the what. It’s the desire to do something. Some of the friends I know are motivated to climb mountains. My wife is motivated to keep the house spic and span, she hates being disorganized. I am motivated by technology. I am always fascinated by technology that can make our lives easy to live.
Inspiration: It’s your inner voice. You write because you want to be heard. You volunteer because you want to make a difference in people’s life – because people matter. This is the why. It’s your beliefs. It’s the process of being mentally stimulated. Inspiration has an emotional connection that moves you to do something. People constantly underestimate themselves and others. I think inspiration strikes when they see a new idea or a problem or someone doing something contrary to their beliefs.
Here check out Rocky Balboa Inspiring his Son:
Or Will Smith’s inspirational words to his Son: You want something, go get it!
So, what motivates you?
- Friends & Family
- Work
- Money
- Promotion
- Fame
- Health
If you’ve missed Daniel Pink’s speech on the surprising science of Motivation, please stop here and take a look:
And what inspires you?
- Act of kindness and empathy, being human
- Leading edge Technology – iPads and the Kindle Fires, 3-D printing
- Making others happy and more productive
Needless to say, If you want to get somewhere in life, both motivation and inspiration are extremely important.
Here is how I keep myself inspired:
Maintain a Journal: Write down ideas as soon as you get them. Your brain is an amazing machine. It goes through millions of thoughts a day. Some are positive and some are negative. Keep the positive ones.
Get on Twitter: Everyone can use help. Twitter is bursting with ideas every second. Millions of fresh ideas are born and shared on Twitter every day. If you follow the right people, you will be inspired ex: Bill Gates. You will be amazed to find the kinds of projects he is working on that addresses the basic human needs in developing countries.
Watch TED (ideas worth spreading): You can hear brilliant people talk about thought provoking ideas here.
Entertain yourself: Watch movies and videos and listen to music that inspires you. Who’s watched the movie Jurassic Park or Gandhi or The Pink Panther? Laugh, cry or jump with joy – live the moment – ideas will follow. Play a team sport such as volley ball, soccer or cricket.
“I’d like to buy a Ham Burger” 
Read: Have you read Seth Godin’s Linchpin: Are you Indispensable? What about “Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money” by Daniel Lapin or “48 Days to the Work You Love” by Dan Miller
Here are all the books I recommend.
Experiment and Learn: Try something new every once in a while. Fill your mind with fresh Ideas. What’s there to lose? Who likes to cook? Fill your pantry with new spices. Experiment with your cooking. Watch others cook and learn. My favorite channel is food network.
Here is a Chow Tip on Cooking Eggplant the healthy way:
Book shops and Coffee Shops: Did you know a study found people are most creative in a noisy environment such as in a coffee shop? Amazing isn’t it? So, get out there more often and take your computer along with you. Starbucks provides free wifi. Get out there to a bookshop – there is always something you will find interesting.
Exercise: Walk in the park, swim, run, hit the gym – get your heart pumping. Get the stress out of your life. Make room for fresh ideas.
Take time off: Get some rest, meditate and spend some time thinking. Be happy.
Learn & Teach: Take the time to share your learning’s with your kids, co-workers, friends, family and the world. Teaching is addictive – there is a sense of satisfaction that you’re not going to find anywhere else. Learn, give, volunteer, write and share your art with the world. Make every day count. Keep yourself and others inspired.
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(Disclaimer: Images come from Google Image Search)
