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!
There was a time when I would have said deadlines motivate me but now at the ripe old age of 50, I would say approval and acknowledgement. I’m old enough to know how insecure I truly am…
I am most motivated by anything that I believe is leading me to feel loved, adored, cherished to the very core of my being. This has led to some unwise and sometimes devestating choices when I have believed lies.
Organization and structure – sometimes that’s a good motivator, other times I have to force myself to let go and let God take over rather than let unorganization motivate me in the wrong direction.
Praise and recognition.
Sigh…
Survival is what motivated me most of my whole 42 years of life and now I am just motivated to bear much fruit. I feel like I have barely beared a piece but that is my motivation …to bear much fruit.
Well, my first response is to say -GUILT.
I’m an only child, raised with a legalistic background. Nuf said.
BUT, real motivation has come from a group of sister/friends that keep me motivated to be in the Word, to live life like a follower of Jesus – just by watching over the years the impact of those disciplines in their lives. Makes you want what they have -and now years later, I hope I can be that for others as well.
Blessings to you!
The hope of what is to come motivates me- the hope of being a wife- a mom- a foster mom….
1) A God-given goal. That’s a motivator unlike any other.
2) My children (aka God-given gifts). They inspire me.
3) My husband (another God-given gift). He challenges me to become more, in the best ways possible.
4) My friends (more God-give gifts). The make me better.
I guess, it’s relationships in my life, more than anything else, that motivate me towards something”more”.
But, first and foremost, it’s God’s goals for me.
Fear
* fear of failure makes me work hard.
* fear of missing a wonderful moment with my son makes me PLAN to have fun!
* fear of a loved one’s disapproval makes me worry.
* fear of missing God’s call on my life makes me sick and makes me turn to His word.
* fear of the irrational thought that Jesus is disappointed i me makes me want to cry right now.
* fear causes me to be too hard on myself.
I am motivated most by someone I admire being proud of me. Borderline co-dependency, I’m sure, but just being honest.
I thought awhile on this one…I would have to say desperation. When I knew that there was something more for me but fear kept me where I was. Praise GOD that I didn’t stay there! 🙂
Anger! When I get really angry because I have been challenged by my husband or a boss, I kick into “go mode”. I usually get an enourmous amount accomplished in a very short period of time. I am told that I move pretty fast on a normal day, but there is something about my brain that has a super memory when I am challenged or angered. (not saying it’s a good thing, but it’s what motivates me)
Praise music! It can bring me back to where I need to be quicker than anything. Guess it’s because He inhabits the praises of His people!
I would have to say guilt.
Fear of Not Measuring Up. You asked for honest. That’s it. I hate it. I compare myself to others, and fear that I’m not as good, pretty, perfect, loved, accepted. Can’t believe I’m telling the truth. I so wish this wasn’t put it is.
This is the one area that I’m most ashamed to admit, but it totally is used by the devil to motivate me. I know that Christ wants me to claim victory over it. But too often it rears its ugly head.
Approval
I am not sure if it is a motivator as much as no other option, but brokenness usually brings the lasting change for me. The last time I experienced life transforming changes was after a season in which I had been completely broken down and acknowledged my great need for Jesus. Realizing I can not do it without Him. What motivates me to do things for Him….gratefulness and wanting to please Him:)
I think that loneliness motivates me most. I’ve been through some hills, and I’ve climbed them alone. (Except for God, because, well, he’s always there.)
Because of that, I want to be around people, and have people to lean on.
If I know that something I have the option to do is going to strengthen my relationship with anyone, then I’m going to jump on that opportunity. I think that loneliness is the most destructive emotion of any of them.
So my quest to not be tends to be my motivation now-a-days.
–
Julie (I’m a Puddins!)
I wish I did not have to honestly admit that it is guilt (my husband says that it is my spiritual gift). God is using Tammie Head’s “Duty or Delight?” to work on this in my life (thanks for the recommendation, Beth!)
What motivates me? A combination of FEAR of what is coming and the anticipated feeling of FREEDOM when I get through “it” (the fire). In other words, I face my fear by the motivation of freedom at the end of the road. Had to go through the fire recently and the other side is definitely God’s blessing realized following a period of head-on determination of FAITH!
The first thing that popped into my head when I read the question was “deadlines”. But as I thought about it more, I realized the real answer was *accountability*. That’s why I’m more apt to do Bible study when I’m part of a small group, and even more so when I facilitate it. That’s why I find myself sometimes making the bed and taking a shower before my husband gets home, even if it’s 4 pm. That’s why I clean my house really well only when we have a dinner party or company comes. But on a deeper level, I know I am accountable to God and that can be a very powerful motivator.
Our life is full of deadlines and stressors, so I work to meet deadlines all the time; always have worked best at the last minute maybe because it becomes a now or never situation. Almost every day seems to be a series of “putting out fires”.
When we are free to choose, however, “time” is my biggest motivator. Just knowing I have a few days off work with unstructured time gives me incredible energy to tackle almost anything from re-doing a room in our home to spending uninterrupted time with the Lord.
Rewards. Pure and simple.
On a positive note – approval of those I admire and respect.
On a negative note – guilt, I hate to admit it, but it is SO true.
I think that lasting change in my character has always come from the Lord opening my eyes to new things. There was a lot of change when my husband, kids and I changed churches in 1993, and again in 2003. Both times, the Lord opened my eyes to new ways of being, refining my understanding of His desire for how I could be in Him.
Urgency. That sense of something being urgent – whether it’s a task at hand or a change that needs to be made – seems to motivate me to do something about it.
my best motivator is competition…I always want to win.
A hard and fast deadline.
Women who encouraged me AND help me accountable. During a small group study, I felt prompted to tell my parents something that happened to me when I was a teen…and mentioned it to the group. They insisted I needed to tell them in the coming week. I didn’t want to share with my parents, who I knew would be hurt (mainly by feeling my own hurt), but even more than being scared about telling them, I was scared to go back to my group and admit I hadn’t followed through! God bless godly women holding each other accountable as we grow through life!
I hate to admit it but as I look back on my life, desperation seems to be my biggest motivator. When I am desperate, alone or left without any other hope…IE desperation. That is what motivates me the most.
Unfortunately, I am motivated if I feel my husband is being sweet to me.
Praise/acknowledgement of a job well done, or even attempted. It is best if the praise/acknowledgement comes from my husband.
hmmm….if we’re talking motivation to change, then i’d probably have to say fear or the approval of others. but if we’re talking about motivation to do something, i’d probably say loving on others in the ways i’ve been called to do so…when i’m doing that, there’s no better motivator for me…it keeps me going…
Accountability to someone other than myself! I have been blessed to be in a precious community of believers and I have women to hold me accountable IN LOVE in many areas where I need help.
1) keeping up with an exercise program. I meet two other moms M-F after we drop our kids off at school to work out. (Plus we get to talk grown up talk and laugh until we cry!)
2) Consistently studying the Word. Tuesday morning discipleship group and Wednesday night small groups with the same group of women!
They make me better.
The most effective energizer and motivator has probably been a longing to make someone proud of me… to fulfill the role and make someone beam. It probably started with wanting to make mommy and daddy smile and nod…now, it’s undoubtedly my Abba-Daddy I hunger to please.
(And, admittedly, there are humans around me I still want to make proud of me! The original impulse to-make-proud I believe is of Him… but when humanly distorted, has tripped me up at times. Discernment and vigilence help me keep it clean.)
two things: an external deadline not set by me, and affirming words from my husband. Both motivate me–one in work, the other personally and spiritually.
Love is a huge motivator for me. Whether it’s work, home, friends….I want to be someone that others can love. I’m never going to be perfect, I don’t even try…and I’m soooo thankful that our God always loves us, even when he doesn’t approve of everything we do.
Hope & Love. Funny thing is… the times of change did come right after seasons of great challenge or suffering, which at first thought led me to believe “pain” would be the motivator…but when truly considering…. those were just the sifting seasons…it was the fresh wind of hope and love on the heals of those seasons of suffering that ignited steps of faith towards lasting change. All things work together right??
I am a people pleaser and an approval seeker. Oh, if I could only keep that pointed in the direction of the One who’s approval really matters I would spare myself such trouble!
The return is what motivates me. What I get out of it. I am motivated to spend time with Him each day because I know He has something for me and I know I’m going to be better because of the time I’ve spent. Wow, sounds kind of selfish…
Without a doubt, the biggest changes in my life have come through pain. Either as a result of my own choices, as a result of God pressing me in hard situations or walking back through hard things from the past, in my heart and mind, with redemption of the situation as the end result.
Having a deadline. . . and a reward.
And frequently guilt.
–Accountability to someone I respect who makes no excuses for me. (And truthfully a deadline when other people are counting on me.)
I know this is not the direction you’re going, but the first thing that popped into my head when reading this was “company”. It is amazing how much faster and more efficient I can clean my house and organize when someone is coming over to eat/spend time with us! 😉
I’m motivated by people believing in me. Sometimes they may believe in me for things I’ve never had any interest in & I give it a try and find out I’m good at it & it’s fun too. Other times they believe in me for things bigger than I ever imagined possible & with the power of the Holy Spirit I’m able to achieve bigger and better than I ever thought possible. My biggest accomplishments have come from the simple words of encouragement from those who have believed great things from me. This has impacted me so much that I have found myself parenting in such a way as well now.
Well, when I was younger, my insecurity and fear of rejection motivated me to do all sorts of stupid things. But now, like many others, getting so sick of myself or having obligations to others motivates me when I’m feeling like a slug. Oh, and pain! Deep pain motivated me back into a relationship with Christ 11 years ago, for which I am forever grateful!
I get motivated when a new thing (positive or negative) is just around the corner–
Guests coming from out of town
A special holiday or birthday coming along
A possible job loss
Some kind of crisis
I get really apathetic when presented with the same old routine–
I sometimes try to shake things up by driving a new route through town when i am doing errands or carpools…
I need the prospect of change to motivate me.
I am most motivated when God speaks a rhema word to me. He speaks His Word and it moves me.
At times I get off track and end up having a “pitty” party in the “bitter” boat of life. So I would say being “ashamed and feeling guilty because I am blessed and should know better than to give in to those negative feelings.
Conviction (not condemnation) and accountability.