What Motivates the Motivator? by Chris Widener

Some time ago, someone  wrote me an email and said, “I would love to know what motivates YOU!” So I  took them up on it and I want to tell you how I stay motivated.

It is a valid question,  this one of what motivates me. After all, each and every day I have to stay on  the top of my game whether it is because I am giving a speech, marketing my  materials or just trying to keep my kids energized!

As I thought about it, I  realized again just how simple life can be if you put the right processes in  place. I realized that me staying motivated revolves around a few basic things  that I do. And they are things that ANYBODY can do. So if I can stay motivated,  you can too! If you want to stay motivated, try these basics that I use to keep  myself motivated:

• Read good books and  magazines. I am an information junkie! I read all of the time. I don’t care  what you say; you cannot be successful without reading! I read books,  magazines, etc., all of the time. I read a breadth of information so as to  develop myself on a wide variety of topics. Keep reading them on a regular  basis throughout the month and not just in reading binges.

• Listen to good  information. Get yourself into some good tapes. Listen to what others have to  say. Give yourself a budget to spend on materials that will make you into a  motivated animal! Above all, as you listen, apply the truths to your life in  your head and they will become what you live.

• Maintain a positive  group of friends and colleagues. I broke this rule one day and went to coffee  with a real downer. I am still recovering from him! One of the best things you  can do is to surround yourself with positive people who will build you up and  encourage you to pursue your dreams. They will be honest with you, yes, but  they will also challenge you to shoot for the stars!

• Focus clearly on my  goals. I know where I am going and what I want to accomplish. They are firmly  rooted in my mind and heart. Because of this, my mind and heart are in an  attitude of motivation all of the time. I want to hit my goals and since they  are present in my heart and mind, I put my energies into them.

• Discipline myself to  live out my priorities. Most of the time, this takes plain old hard work. We  have to discipline ourselves and as we do we find ourselves becoming more and  more motivated. If we discipline ourselves, it gives us wins and victories,  which makes us feel good, which motivates us for further action. If we don’t  discipline ourselves, we feel defeated and we fall into a downward spiral of  despair.

Are you keeping yourself  motivated? You can. I know you can because I have seen these principles and  actions work in my own life. Take a moment right now and see if you are living  out the principles for keeping motivated:

- Do you regularly read  good books and magazines?
 - Do you regularly listen  to good material?
 - Do you surround yourself  with positive and supportive people?
 - Do you know and focus on  your goals?
 - Do you discipline  yourself to action even when you don’t feel like it?

Commit yourself to these  and you will find that you become a much more motivated person. This is what I  do, and why I can continue to motivate others!

Upward and onward my  friends!