This is part three in the “If/Then” letter I wrote as I mentioned in a previous posting. This letter was originally written on January 30, 2005.
The interesting thing about these first three parts is that I am discovering very similar ideas about life and the world in other books I am now reading in November of 2010. So, are these ideas and thoughts original to me? In a way I would say no because I think it is just uncovering the truths that lie within all of us, we have only to remember them. I also think they are original to me in that this is part of my personal experience of life and remembering who I really am.
Dwight Raatz
================================== Motivation Merriam-Webster definition: : something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act : a motivating force, stimulus, or influence : INCENTIVE, DRIVE : something that incites or has a tendency to incite to determination or action
What motivates you? This is probably something you have thought about before, but maybe couldn’t quite put your finger on what it is that really motivates you. You might think it has to do with money or position or perhaps notoriety. My opinion on what really motivates a person is a much simpler and more basic thing than you might imagine. Try this on for a minute; I think what is really at the source of motivation is being acknowledged by someone else. Now, people do many things do be acknowledged; some of which are not good. You might even say people “want attention”. This is close, but ultimately it all boils down to the same thing – acknowledgment. So, you are wondering, what can I do to motivate the people around me? Now you know the answer, you need to acknowledge everything about that person in words and speak those words to them. You can even go as far as acknowledging something that the other person is aspiring to do or be. The trick is to speak the words, “I acknowledge you and your goal of ….” By speaking the words and declaring your acknowledgment, you are creating something that never existed before. The reason I say that you must speak it is because the act of telling someone makes it real and holds you accountable for your future actions. If you never tell anyone, how can they know what your intentions are? The next part is crucial; you not only have to speak the words, but you must also have the integrity to follow through with your declaration. If you don’t follow through, then your integrity is compromised and may not be salvageable. Now, since we are human and are prone to make mistakes, you may fail at following through with what you have said. This is okay as long as you acknowledge your mistake or failure to the people who know it, clean up the mess, and then declare again what your new intentions are and then move ahead. Admitting mistakes or failure doesn’t mean you are weak. In fact, I would say that admittance to mistakes is a true strength and an admirable quality that people respect.
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