This new series is based on the act of motivation. You can be motivated in your actions towards success. However, I found there have been a few steps that I have taken to make my goals more achievable. In this post, I will be going into detail on what the difference is from passive to active, what steps I took to change, and my results.
Reflect first
In understanding where your motivation is, you need to assess where your baseline is. What do your goals currently look like? Now, match those goals to what you are doing in your life. Are you doing something as small as 15 minutes of action towards those goals? This begins the process of passive vs active goal setting. Passive can happen when you are so distracted by everything.
Let’s say you are a passive information hoarder trying to do all the research to understand how you can reach your goal. You try a couple of things but you end up going back to your usual routine because you aren’t finding results (that you want). Let’s compare the active knowledge seeker who is searching for starting information to apply in their terms to their lives. You take the time to write down two different examples that you have found in your research. Then, you try to apply them multiple times to your process of getting to the goal. You take it what works and what doesn’t. You see mistakes as lessons instead. It starts to feel like your goals are finally falling into your lap.
But, you later realize that you have been taking action on those goals instead. You have to let go of what is a distraction to you and focus on that single goal you desire at a time. What I have learned is doing too much makes it harder for you to achieve your goal. It’s better to be an expert (a master) in something versus a Jack of all trades. They are masters of none in the end.
Letting things go
In the act of motivation, I realize that you are going to have slow periods in your growth. You must accept that and take the rest. Burnout is a dangerous thing that can affect even the brightest stars out there. These slow periods give you the chance to reflect on how you can improve, and why you are doing this process. Remembering why you are doing this is important.
This is the difference between anxiety-filled (or made) goals versus self-love goals. Anxiety-filled goals are goals that you can create out of a place of lack. These goals are usually the ones that you feel rushed to complete or you are completing these goals because society may dictate these goals to you. That is unnecessary and it is terrible for your mental health. Self-love goals are goals that you feel a sense of completion with. You feel happy and at peace that you have done them. Even something as small as eating a healthy meal is a good self-love goal to have.
These differences changed how I viewed my goals and it has made me less anxious to get things done. These started goals were my motivation to get through the day. They later turned into habits that keep me going to achieve new goals. The foundation must be solid before building on top of it.
The Results
You must build your basics. My foundation for my motivation is different than yours will be. After I took a step back from many things in my life, I had to rebuild the foundation of who I was and what I wanted to become. If I didn’t know these things, where will my passion come from? You want to do more than just living and breathing air. Passions lead to growth.
What I can tell you is you have to get yourself a strong reason to want a difference. My reason was I wanted to live for myself — it has changed my perspective on life. I can tell you my life has benefited from this internal motivation I have. You also do not need to share everything of your passions with everyone. I did in the past and people ate away at those passions. The foundation you must build is personal to you.