Hey, Siestas! I have a question rolling around in my mind and I’d love to throw it to my favorite community. Here goes:
What motivates you most effectively?
That’s it. Pure and simple.
Ground rules:
*You can only name one kind of motivation. Think of the one that tends to work on you more often than the others.
*You are asked to name your real, live most effective motivator and not the one you wish you had. (You may honestly respond best to a healthy motivator and, if so, say so! But, if the truth is, you are more often effectively motivated by something negative, please also say so.)
This hint might be of help to some of you as you roll the question around in your sweet head: Think back on times of substantial and lasting change in your life. What motivated the real change? (Of course, we all know that, ultimately, the Holy Spirit brings about transformation, but what did He use???)
You bless me to no end. Watching for your responses!
Knowing there is purpose in what I’m doing, enduring, and that the result will help me grow up in Christ and glorify God. If I know I’m in God’s will, I will go forward.
Praise! Especially when others come to me and tell me how I’ve blessed them, encouraged them, and how they see Jesus in me! The Lord’s pats on the back in human form are great motivators to keep running the race!
A sense of purpose or responsibility
I am effectively motivated by encouragement. I am constantly amazed at how a kind word spoken at just the right moment can help me through a day or a circumstance. I also realize that there is a flip side to this type of motivation, I have to be careful not to fall into the trap of having to have encouragement and praise to function. When I’m feeling like this, I look to the scriptures to encourage, and thus motivate, me.
This question is making me realize what a rebellious heart I hide. There are many things about me that need to change, and few that actually have changed permanently.
My ultimate motivator is the deadline. When I was in my 20s, 30s and early 40s, it was competition with others.
At first nothing came to mind. A task that looks uns unsolvable…like redecorating my home at the cheapest cost yet looking like a million. I pray before each shopping spree and always seem to find goooood deals. I also feel that delving into God’s word and truly getting it and hearing God speak a word to me is a challenge. It has become so much easier as I spend more time in the Word. Praying for LP daily.
anger/frustration
Not a sudden flash of emotion but a last straw final button pushed event. I will stay in a location or situation second guessing myself and my ability to follow God’s leading until anger motivates action. Sometimes righteous anger and sometimes my own selfish anger.
I would say at this point in my life pain (back and leg) constant pain, emotional pain, would be my greatest motivator.
But this present suffering cannot be compared to the glory which will be revealed. Romans 8:18
Because of the Lord’s great Love we are not consumed, His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.
What motivates me is adoration and praise from people. Sad to say.
Other than God’s divine intervention in my life, the biggest event that prompted my full change of heart, and change of life, was hitting a true “bottom” and almost losing my husband and children due to my addictive sin. I literally had to almost drown in a pit before I could come to a place of complete surrender, to muster up the courage, and motivation to make the changes I needed to make in my life. Thank God, it has now almost been 5 years and Im standing strong in God’s eyes and my family is intact and stronger than ever! I am a walking miracle! Praise God.
Amy =My greatest motivation is when I am able to walk through a situation with another … for whatever reason, I need to have someone alongside, keeping me accountable. It makes it essential that I choose wisely who will be in my close inner-circle … and I guess I ought to be able to walk through just with Jesus- I hope someday that will be the case! But for today I am motivated by others.
At the end of a Toby Mac song he has a prayer. The last line of the prayer is “Let your kingdom be what wakes me up and lays me down”. I started praying that prayer. GOD is faithful. Every morning HE wakes me up. We talk. It is better than any cup of coffee-even Starbucks! 🙂 So prayer is the answer. What is amazing even if I spend alot of time in it, I still get everything that needs to be done-done.
It’s quite a revelation to me that the first things I thought of were fear and pressure. Wow. It took some searching, but then I found that the vision that God has shown me motivates me very greatly. But is it as great a motivator for me as the fear or pressure? Boy, do I need to consider this and pray!
my desire to experience the Lord and all He has for me
My biggest motivator is my kids – when I see them copy my mannerisms, habits, words – it is a huge motivator. My 2 year daughter came in yesterday and said, “Mommy, I’m just like you!” I was almost moved to tears. I have prayed for this girl like crazy! I love that she wants the same color toe nail polish as me, and that if I have on a pink shirt, she wants to wear a pink shirt. BUT I SO hope she sees me living out a life of faith and love and that she’s happily preoccupied when I’m falling drastically short.
I am another one of the affirmation junkies…but mostly from certain people. If I don’t like or respect someone, I don’t care too much what they think of me. But if I respect you or like you I feel desperate for your affirmation. For example, in college classes that I was required to take but didn’t care about, grades didn’t matter too much. But in the classes I liked, or with a professor that I respected, I studied way harder and checked my grades constantly.
So I guess I’m motivated by the approval of people I approve of. ugh. That’s gross.
Been mulling this one over and honestly, it’s deadlines. I am a bit of a procratinator but work really well under pressure so as a deadline gets closer the more motivated I am to complete the task. So I guess i create my own pressure by procrastinating!
At the risk of sounding like a “Sunday School” answer, I state this as honestly as I know how. There is nothing on earth that motivates me like the Word of God when it takes the shape of a fearful circumstance that is trying to take root in my mind, overshadows it, and replaces it with pure joy and a thankful heart. There is nothing like it.
Amen! Amen! Amen! 🙂
I really had to think about this question. I think my biggest motivator is the fear of failing or being wrong/ not getting it right. Not sure that is a good thing, but I think that is the most honest answer. Fortuantely, I am reading SO Long Insecurity at the moment!
What motivates me most is the long- lasting blessings of God in the end (or immediately). As I look back over my life, everything I did or didn’t do seems to have hinged upon this. I only wish I would have been more intimately connected with God consistently throughout so I could have seen more coming! =P
Simply, just doing that which I desire to be motivated to do.
Case in point, this morning, I DID NOT want to workout! I have been successfully unmotivated for days now. I dragged my rubber-soled heels out the door begrudgingly… and now, so glad i did and motivated to go again!
“act the way you want to feel”
I’m a bit late posting on this…
my (unfortunately) biggest motivator is guilt! I am easily “guilted” by almost EVERYTHING!…husband, kids, parents, weight, attitude, you name it, it can control me!
I am learning tho’!
Pleasing God motivates me. Wether dealing with difficult personal relationships or the slow person in front of me at the grocery store using an envelope FULL of coupons! I am desperate to walk away from every situation with God’s smile on me. And I want to add- it’s not a fearful desperation- it’s not because He’s a tyrant who I am afraid will zap me (although I’ve given Him reason to, many times) -His mercy just makes me want to please Him.
I think the biggest motivator for change in my life has been pain. I like the familiar and comfortable, change??…not a friend I like to see coming. So even if I’m not loving the life I’m living and I can agree in my mind that I would like to be at another place spiritually, relationally or whatever, it is not until the familiar becomes uncomfortable – sometimes even unbearable – do I find the courage and resources (MOTIVATION) to change my direction.
As much as I hate to admit it, most often it boils down to that strong desire to please people!!
Sun..I live in Seattle!! Seriously…Sharing in the wonder of God with others as we walk this journey.
Acceptance motivates me the most!
Procrastination and fear of failing or being wrong 🙁 Boo hiss.
Finally getting annoyed enough with myself and sick of listening to my own messed up musings combined with God planting that HUGE desire to commune with Him even more deeply and personally. Those have been the motivators for true change in my life…tired of the unsatisfied frustrations that I KNOW are not of Him as I have felt His enduring love and awesome presence enought to know what I am missing when I get caught up in my humanness.
My best motivation comes when working together with one or more people. God is definitely the best motivator possible and he comes through good other people.
This is a Song I must Sing, Sylvia V.
Feeling as though I’m taking one more step further into God’s plan for me. Praise God I’ve been delivered from past motivators…they were far less than Godly.
Service to others, without a doubt!! Passing on to others what was so freely given to me.
Watching someone walk out from under a bridge with a glimpse of hope in their eyes, decide to get clean and sober, and ultimately walk in the ways of God because one starry night Mercy Street showed up downtown with a truck load of chili dogs and a handful of ragamuffins whose lives have been transformed and ain’t afraid to say so! THAT is Heaven to me!! It makes me forget all of my grumbles and petty troubles and affirms that I am walking in God’s perfect plan and purpose for my life. Helping others to find that plan for their lives; their little pieces of Heaven right here on earth. Priceless.
It makes me laugh and cry at the same time. Oh I love God so much. HE makes me laugh and cry at the same time, DAILY!!!
Not wanting to repeat the past. I have been among the ‘living dead’, I have walked in slavery and seen the consequences in my life, my children and my marriage. I am alive, I am free – I chose to stay alive and free and change the future by His grace. He has loved and graced me beyond what I ever dreamed possible. I will not go back! I will do everything necessary to hang on to this love with every fiber of my being. I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 7 yrs. old but it took 40+ more years of wilderness wanderings in the church before I finally came to the point of it being alive/real.
Learning motivates me. I can be so unfocused and stuck (with any project or responsibility) but when I learn why I need to do it, or why it matters, or how to do something. I get motivated to get the task done. Learning helps me accomplish a goal, whether it be getting to know God better (Bible Study!) or learning to use a new program or piece of equipment at work.
Deadlines! What motivates me is absolute necessity. If something doesn’t have to be done today, I will most likely put it off. However, if I’m under a deadline, and it HAS to get done, then I will stay up until midnight to do it if necessary.
This doesn’t work well spiritually. Relationship with Him is not about checking things off of a list. I think that’s why He has allowed certain trials and tribulations into my life, so that I absolutely HAVE to depend on Him and not my own strength.
I am finally recognizing that when life boils down to checking tasks off of my to-do list, then busyness has become my own worst enemy.
it’s funny, 2 things have motivated me at times, 1 good and 1 bad. I grew up in a very strict environment…to the point of legalism. Fear was my motivator most of my growing up years. God was always gonna “get ya”. When I was about 13-14 years old, the Holy Spirit began to open the eyes of my heart and in my own time with the Lord I began to study and pray and ask God for wisdom on what was the Word of God and what was a man’s personal conviction under the alias of Word of God. During those years my motivator became love. Although I still struggle with fear at times, I believe love rules as my primary motivator. If I love you I’ll go to the end of the earth for you. Thankfully God have me a husband who has that same motivator.
Wanting to be loved.
When all seems to be totally falling part and beyond my control – then I receive God’s faith and power to believe in His power. That is what motivates me.
Great pictures! I’ve never heard the word wonky before. I love it!
Ugh! God sent me here today with what I thought was going to be some encouragement, instead it is confession. Yuck! but I know it is good for me so here goes…A recent situation has revealed that what often motivates me is being better than everyone else!! There it is the ugly truth. I know the Lord will help me past this… I do love Him..Deana
I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of days now and really paying attention to what it is that makes me not just want to do something but to stick with doing something for whatever length of time. The answer I’ve come to is ‘results’. I like to see results and quickly. If the results are evident to me, then I am gung ho and wild horses couldn’t stop me from my commitment. If I don’t see that my efforts are yielding something then I just want to quit and get on with something else. I’ve also realized that in the last few years I’ve been challenging myself to keep on keeping on just because it is the right thing to do regardless of the results. Sometimes the results aren’t evident at first but are the fruit of being faithful to the task – whatever it may be.
Significance. I thought about it and I desire to feel like I’ve done something significant and that people recognize what I have done as significant.
Old motivator – other people’s opinions
Of late I’m more motivated by receiving a “word” from the Lord about something I need or am concerned about.
I’m not there 100% – sometimes I fall back into the approval trap but it doesn’t satisfy me like it used to.
Honestly what probably motivates me most is approval. Specifically, my husband’s approval. Should be God’s approval; but, you said to be honest.
I would say that inner motivation from the Scripture is the most effective way to bring lasting change in my life. Lots of little things can motivate me for a little while. But give me a Scripture passage that is internalized and it will change me for good. For example: I used to fear public speaking in the worst way, but while preparing a college term paper on Romans 12-15, I was transfixed by the concepts in Romans 12:1-2. I was not to be conformed to the world’s ideas of who I am, but transformed by the renewing of my mind so I could do God’s will. I’ve done plenty of public speaking in the 30 years since then, because I believed God could change me. I try to keep a verse in front of me to meditate on for months at a time: on an index card in the bathroom, as the start to a password, over the kitchen sink. It is my favorite motivator.
I think I am most motivated by the truth of God spoken powerfully and boldly by great communicators. Back in January (and I have heard the truth spoken powerfully since then, but this is what came to mind) I listened to the Passion messages via the Web. I was so challenged and listened to a couple of them more than once.
Wow these responses are eye opening for me! My motivators seem to be negative, superficial and fearful….something to pray about…I want to be motivated by God and God alone not people approval, or guilt.
Praise from others or approval (same thing to me). When I do something right or good and do it well, and others fall all over me about it, it makes me want to do other things well. It makes me feel accepted and loved by others. I do think I would do what was right even if I wasn’t getting the praise and approval, but it would probably be harder to get motivated to do things well over and over.
I think, in all honesty, it is wanting approval.
Accountability! When I started serious Bible study, the group had a guideline that you couldn’t answer unless you had something written down from your study throughout the week. You were encouraged to come & listen but unless you had a specific answer from that day’s devotion, you were to remain quiet. There’s just something about limiting my speech that moved me! 🙂 Also, I’m in the process of losing my baby weight from my second child. I keep a food diary and have to turn it in at least once a week. There’s just something about having to turn it in for real- not just having it with you and getting checked off but really, REALLY turning it in- that keeps me motivated. I would say there’s something to that accountability that motivates me to not disappoint.