Think back to a time when someone inspired you. It could be a speaker at a conference you attended, a teacher or mentor along the way, or you could have heard a success story of someone you look up to. Whatever the case, the motivation of others can strengthen how you see yourself.
You have likely read books about famous people who you admired. These often speak of the struggles and hurdles they had to go through before they became successful. They write about the pain they had to endure and all the challenges they faced to achieve their goals. Sometimes, the stories will shock you. It’s hard to believe that these famous people ever had to deal with such adverse situations.
The internet gives us plenty of opportunities to view stories of high-profile people. Just search on YouTube, and you will find hundreds (if not thousands) of videos of these people describing their experiences. Read books as well. Although videos may have more impact on you, there’s usually much more detail in books. Take advantage of both.
Sometimes, you will be lucky enough to meet the people who you admire. It’s great to talk to them and ask them questions. Most successful people don’t mind sharing their stories and answering questions. It’s part of the process.
It’s great to have others who help motivate you. A word of caution though: Don’t put them too high on a pedestal, you may find it difficult to motivate yourself. You will start to believe these people have an innate ability that you don’t possess. That is counterproductive. Realize they all started the same as you. Some may have had initial advantages, but even people with these advantages don’t always do right with them. Most people still need to work hard and overcome adversity to attain their goals.
Another point to be aware of is that you shouldn’t spend too much time listening or reading about people who motivate you. At some point, you must take appropriate action to get going with your own goals. Although there is great value in getting inspiration and motivation from others, there comes a point when you need to do more than going to seminars or reading books. None of that matters unless you put in the effort yourself. Once that happens, others may be coming to you one day saying how you helped motivate them!
What’s stopping you! Let’s go!
