From Tony: Today’s guest post is from my friend Juan Cruz. If you’re interested in guest posting, click here.
Do you want to live an exceptional life?
Exceptional living can take various forms. It might be writing the book, you’ve always dreamed of. Digging wells in Africa. Traversing the Appalachian trial. Feeding the hungry in an impoversihed nation. Or maybe even white water rafting in the Grand Canyon.
What do you need to live exceptionally? Motivation of course…well sort of.
We read many books, blogs, and all sorts of media on the subject of motivation. If you are motivated you will succeed. You will reach new heights, you will increase your blog traffic, make a million in a year building Apple iPhone apps.
But motivation is not everything. Motivation is what gets your engine going. So I equate it to gasoline. If you don’t have gasoline in the tank of your car, you are not going to be able to even get the engine started, let alone begin your journey to wherever it is that you are going.
Motivation is a key ingredient to get you where you want to go. But motivation will not keep you there.
The problem with motivation is that it is fleeting. It can change with your mood. It can be changed by your surroundings. It depends too much on feelings and external forces.
In order to get to your destination, keep you there, and live exceptionally, you have to get accustomed. That’s right, you read it correctly – accustomed.
There is a passage in the Bible, Luke 4:16, where it talks about Jesus being accustomed going to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Jesus was not motivated to go to the synagogue, nor was he moved by the spirit, he was simply accustomed. Going to the synagogue was part of Jesus’ daily, customary life while on earth.
Jesus was being persecuted, mocked, ridiculed, and questioned on a regular basis. Do you really believe he relied on motivation, to go to the temple, heal the sick, and pray on a regular basis? Put yourself in Jesus’ shoes. Would you be motivated to do things he did while on earth under those circumstances?
Being accustomed, is making a habit, which creates consistency, and helps you stay focused.
What is being accustomed:
- It is going to work when you don’t feel like it because your new born child kept you awake all night.
- It is going to the gym to work out when you don’t feel like it because you are tired.
- It is spending time with your spouse and children when you don’t feel like it because of hard day at work.
- It is helping the poor when you don’t feel like because you know it’s the right thing to do.
So if you ever wonder why you are not living exceptionally, it’s not because of a lack of motivation, it’s a lack of being accustomed.
What do you need to get accustomed to in order to live exceptionally?
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Juan has been married for over 9 years with a beautiful blended family of 5 daughters. He’s been born again for over 28 years, and like many Christians, has been through the peaks and valleys of his Christian life. He blogs at Leading Everyday.
Great post, Juan!
A lot of the modern research on motivation and willpower has shown that it’s a limited resource. The way to be successful is to make things a habit – then it takes up less of our willpower (leaving willpower left over for other things). So it’s common sense and proven by science – habit is powerful!
Loren Pinilis recently posted..The Two-Minute Secret to Better Productivity
Yes, you’ve nailed it. Habit is the key.
Eileen recently posted..Feast or Famine
Eileen, A lot people confuse motivation for habit. The habit has to be created regardless of how we feel. Thanks for sharing.
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..More Than Motivation
I got so much inspiration from reading this blog post. Many are the times when people do not know how to distinguish between seeking motivation and taking action. You can be motivated yes, but if you do not take the right steps towards achieving what you were seeking motivation for it will be all in vein.
Arnold Grantt recently posted..Workouts for man
Arnold, thanks for putting it so succintly. Basically motivation without action kills willingness. Thanks for sharing.
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..More Than Motivation
Really it’s a great post for me.Only motivation is not sufficient for exceptional life.I had need to know about internal Will force for exceptional life.
Kristian Semaj recently posted..Gold: What’s REALLY Behind the Record Rise, Bull or Bubble?
Kristian, you are right. It’s that internal willingness which will allow us to to achieve great things. Thanks for sharing.
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..More Than Motivation
Oh my! You hit my nail on the head Juan!
Ed recently posted..Stuck!
Ed, I hope it didn’t hurt too much. Thanks for sharing. God Bless.
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..More Than Motivation
What a great reminder Juan.
I need to stay accustomed to my writing schedule even when I have had a long day at work and just want to relax.
I think a person can better be “motivated” and “accustomed” when they have and are working in areas of passions and strengths. It’s a little easier to consistently do something you like than something you don’t Though it still takes a drive and discipline.
Great post.
Dan Black recently posted..Personal Growth Quotes
Dan, stay accustomed and focused. The things you love will take you and keep you there. God Bless.
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..More Than Motivation
Now, this is exactly what I have been looking to read for a long time. I really love motivation, I receive it, give it and embrace it. In fact I console myself with Zig Ziglar’s quote about how we need motivation every day just like we need bathing.
However, I find that I have to try so hard sometimes to keep motivated which can be demotivating also. Now I know better, I need to get accustomed!!!!!!! Thanks Juan.
Ritah, I am happy that this impacted you. I do believe we need motivation, but we are not always going to feel motivated. If we wait until motivation hits us, we will be at best inconsistent with the things we want to do. Creating a habit and being accustomed will create consistency. Thanks for sharing.
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..Leadership lessons from deleting my Hotmail account