Motivation under pressure is a question of character and courage. Any soldier can feel and look good during a parade. It's when that same soldier faces fire that he finds out that he's made off. Same story for the any of us on the motivational front.
First it must be said that motivation has one best friend and two worst enemies. It has one enabler and two killers. Its best friend and enabler is action. Its enemies and destroyers are apathy and procrastination.
No one can stay motivated and enthusiastic for a long time while staring at a blank wall. On the other hand, movement and action will stimulate the production of adrenaline and endorphin. Two very powerful natural drugs that generate energy and induce a sense of wellbeing and serenity.
Deliberate action monopolizes the muscular system, which in turn sends a powerful signal to the brain to the effect that the body is in control of the situation and that matters are being taken care off. Action is the antithesis of indifference and apathy.
Deliberate and focused action will also shift the center of attention from whatever is going wrong in someone's life to a more productive line of thinking. That alone may not be enough to change a negative and unmotivated mindset into a positive and motivated one but it's a step forward.
If motivation has two deadly enemies, it also has a principal cause and that is frustration. Few things are as demoralizing as crushed hopes and unmet expectations - that is, if we are not prepared.
Being prepared does not mean being a firm believer in Murphy's Law that says, "If anything can go wrong, it will." That's inaccurate and negative thinking. Being prepared means, "Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst."
Hoping for the best and being prepared for the worst is rational and wise reasoning in its purest form. That's is what strategists do and that what all-great leaders also do. That line of thinking will ward off against the worst consequences of deception and keep the motivation at a working level.
Finally, motivation can always be preserved by keeping an attitude of gratitude. When we focus on all the bounties that have been given us, we have many reasons to be grateful and motivated. Motivation is like money in the bank. When we have an ample supply of either of those, we are not thrown off by a few setbacks. However, when the supply is low, the slightest bump in the road of life will throw us off course.
Winston Churchill said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." Those are excellent words to live by and an excellent mantra to use in rough times. Without being overly pessimistic, we can says without the shadow of a doubts that there will be times when dark shadows hover over us. Those are the days that will define us.
It is in our darkest days that we find our true worth and what we are made off. A man of valor will find the wherewithal to reach down in his soul and reignite the flame of enthusiasm and motivation. A lesser person will take on the victim stance and blame faith for all his problems. We have free will. The choice is ours.
Dr._Raymond_Comeau
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