You Have to Have a Reason to Keep You Motivated

Having a reason—any reason—keeps you motivated to:

• Take the next step.
• Get to the next level.
• Do something extraordinary.
• Accomplish your goal…and then the next goal and the next one after that.
• Get the best results every time.

Everyone needs a reason to go and do something. While I have talked a lot about having your list of why’s:

• Why you have the job you have.
• Why you got married.
• Why you work as hard as you do.

….lately I have decided to put more emphasis on reasons. For example: the reason you work so hard is to make sure your kids have more than you ever had. Or, maybe the reason you work so hard is to buy that Mercedes. Maybe the reason you pay so much attention to your marriage is so that you have a better one than your parents did. The reason you want to lose weight is so you can fit into those pants you always wanted. Or, maybe the doctor mentioned that you’re at a risk of a heart attack and want to improve your long-term outlook.

Without a reason to go and do something, it can become difficult to get things done. It helps to have a sense of urgency. One of the main reasons I work so hard and have worked so hard all my life is because I never want to be hungry and not have food. There were many days and nights where I was hungry as a kid. We didn’t have money and didn’t have enough food to eat. Going to bed hungry is not something I ever want to do again, nor do I want it for my family.

I often say that I saw the light at an early age…unfortunately it was the refrigerator light because it was always empty. The last thing I do every night is open the refrigerator to look at all the food. It helps me remind myself how grateful I am to have what I have, and it’s my reason for working hard. 

So, what’s your reason for doing what you do? Or, what’s your excuse for not doing it? Don’t underestimate the power of your reason.