Tony Fahkry's Blog - Posts Tagged "ambition"
How to Stay Motivated
“We must have a pure, honest, and warm-hearted motivation, and on top of that, determination, optimism, hope, and the ability not to be discouraged. The whole of humanity depends on this motivation.” - The 14th Dalai Lama
What does motivation represent to you? How do you motivate yourself? Do you require constant motivation? I want you to consider these questions throughout this article.
Motivation has come to embody a pivotal role in people’s lives within the developed world. Those from non-English speaking countries often lament how lazy we are in English speaking countries. Work ethic remains consistently high within the Asian and European countries. This cultural ethos is passed down from generations and instilled in their young.
Motivation implies one is lacking in this virtue. I gained an exhaustive education in motivation at the mercy of highly motivated parents. They were working class immigrants who arrived in Australia shortly after being married. Like many other migrants who settled early in the sixties, they worked hard to provide a quality of life for their loved ones. However, the idea of motivation still remains a non-descript term for my mother. I cannot recall a time in her life when she needed motivation.
Motivation stems from two main principles: desire and will. It encompasses a purposeful intent to give life to an aspect of one’s personal character.
I hold firm to the belief that you cannot motivate other people if they are lacking in desire and will. Rather you may inspire them, or as the idiom reminds us, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.”
Recall an experience where you had to motivate someone against their will. No doubt there’s been an instance where a friend, family member or loved one required a gentle nudge. Was it a challenge to motivate them? Did they achieve their desired outcome?
An aspect of my work entails working with individuals as well as small to large groups. My duty of care is to inspire my clients by guiding them to explore their talents and inner resources. Over the years the more I sought to motivate a person, the less likely they were to achieve their chosen result. Motivating a person devoid of inspiration is futile in the long run, since there is no inherent drive arising from within.
Many of my regular clients present themselves to training since they have sought the motivation to do so long ago. Anyone who gets out of bed at 5am in the morning to exercise is motivated. I am simply providing the medium and the expertise to deliver a directed training program tailored to their specific goals. They are clear on their health goals. They simply require the expertise and know-how to deliver results.
I may often provide them with sources of inspiration as the going gets tough. Due to their hectic work-life schedules, many of them find it difficult to exercise consistently, while simultaneously remaining motivated.
So how do you attain motivation to achieve any number of goals? Listed below are three useful summaries for acquiring motivation when experiencing a brief lapse in enthusiasm.
“Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” - Lou Holtz
1. What is holding you back?: This may be a crucial question to consider for overcoming a lack of motivation. Remaining stuck is an indicator that you have plateaued or reached your highest point in your journey. Perhaps you have hit a sticking point in relation to exercise, nutrition or other personal matters and require expert assistance to guide you to the next phase. Exchange ideas with people whom you trust and have a sympathetic ear to your plight. Seek the advice of those who have walked the path before you.
2. A blessing in disguise: In his book Way of the Peaceful Warrior, author Dan Millman reminds us that our setbacks may be paving the way for something greater, “When we feel stuck, going nowhere - even starting to slip backward - we may actually be backing up to get a running start.” What may initially appear like failure on first impression might in fact be your greatest opportunity for success. Oftentimes being stuck serves to prompt you to find a way out of your dilemma. When you meet with painful moments, the mind hastily signals its aversion for this state and seeks to find a way through. Your mind is habituated toward seeking pleasure, not pain.
3. One step at a time: We are lured in to a false promise that when we acquire something or someone, we will be happy and fulfilled. This inaccurate way of thinking conditions your mind to neglect the most important process which lies in-between, i.e. the journey. I am reminding you to enjoy the journey by reconnecting with the purpose of your pursuit. Your journey entails the people you meet, the friendships formed, the person you become, the knowledge you acquire and the lessons gained. Without these significant measures, you risk becoming an unfulfilled somebody waiting for the next adventure. Following this line of thought, you are continually arriving at your destination instead of striving.
Wherever you are in your life’s journey, take some time out to reflect on how far you have come. Examine the root cause of your suffering and where necessary, make adjustments to your goals as required. Don’t be fixed on HOW you will achieve your goals or plans - be open and flexible. You’ll know you’re on the right track when your goals begin to manifest with ease and perfection.
What does motivation represent to you? How do you motivate yourself? Do you require constant motivation? I want you to consider these questions throughout this article.
Motivation has come to embody a pivotal role in people’s lives within the developed world. Those from non-English speaking countries often lament how lazy we are in English speaking countries. Work ethic remains consistently high within the Asian and European countries. This cultural ethos is passed down from generations and instilled in their young.
Motivation implies one is lacking in this virtue. I gained an exhaustive education in motivation at the mercy of highly motivated parents. They were working class immigrants who arrived in Australia shortly after being married. Like many other migrants who settled early in the sixties, they worked hard to provide a quality of life for their loved ones. However, the idea of motivation still remains a non-descript term for my mother. I cannot recall a time in her life when she needed motivation.
Motivation stems from two main principles: desire and will. It encompasses a purposeful intent to give life to an aspect of one’s personal character.
I hold firm to the belief that you cannot motivate other people if they are lacking in desire and will. Rather you may inspire them, or as the idiom reminds us, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.”
Recall an experience where you had to motivate someone against their will. No doubt there’s been an instance where a friend, family member or loved one required a gentle nudge. Was it a challenge to motivate them? Did they achieve their desired outcome?
An aspect of my work entails working with individuals as well as small to large groups. My duty of care is to inspire my clients by guiding them to explore their talents and inner resources. Over the years the more I sought to motivate a person, the less likely they were to achieve their chosen result. Motivating a person devoid of inspiration is futile in the long run, since there is no inherent drive arising from within.
Many of my regular clients present themselves to training since they have sought the motivation to do so long ago. Anyone who gets out of bed at 5am in the morning to exercise is motivated. I am simply providing the medium and the expertise to deliver a directed training program tailored to their specific goals. They are clear on their health goals. They simply require the expertise and know-how to deliver results.
I may often provide them with sources of inspiration as the going gets tough. Due to their hectic work-life schedules, many of them find it difficult to exercise consistently, while simultaneously remaining motivated.
So how do you attain motivation to achieve any number of goals? Listed below are three useful summaries for acquiring motivation when experiencing a brief lapse in enthusiasm.
“Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” - Lou Holtz
1. What is holding you back?: This may be a crucial question to consider for overcoming a lack of motivation. Remaining stuck is an indicator that you have plateaued or reached your highest point in your journey. Perhaps you have hit a sticking point in relation to exercise, nutrition or other personal matters and require expert assistance to guide you to the next phase. Exchange ideas with people whom you trust and have a sympathetic ear to your plight. Seek the advice of those who have walked the path before you.
2. A blessing in disguise: In his book Way of the Peaceful Warrior, author Dan Millman reminds us that our setbacks may be paving the way for something greater, “When we feel stuck, going nowhere - even starting to slip backward - we may actually be backing up to get a running start.” What may initially appear like failure on first impression might in fact be your greatest opportunity for success. Oftentimes being stuck serves to prompt you to find a way out of your dilemma. When you meet with painful moments, the mind hastily signals its aversion for this state and seeks to find a way through. Your mind is habituated toward seeking pleasure, not pain.
3. One step at a time: We are lured in to a false promise that when we acquire something or someone, we will be happy and fulfilled. This inaccurate way of thinking conditions your mind to neglect the most important process which lies in-between, i.e. the journey. I am reminding you to enjoy the journey by reconnecting with the purpose of your pursuit. Your journey entails the people you meet, the friendships formed, the person you become, the knowledge you acquire and the lessons gained. Without these significant measures, you risk becoming an unfulfilled somebody waiting for the next adventure. Following this line of thought, you are continually arriving at your destination instead of striving.
Wherever you are in your life’s journey, take some time out to reflect on how far you have come. Examine the root cause of your suffering and where necessary, make adjustments to your goals as required. Don’t be fixed on HOW you will achieve your goals or plans - be open and flexible. You’ll know you’re on the right track when your goals begin to manifest with ease and perfection.
Why You Should Never Give Up
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” - Harriet Beecher Stowe
Think like a Billionaire
I am fascinated by billionaires. There I said it.
Please don’t hold me in contempt as I endeavour to explain myself.
Okay, it may have been a little presumptuous of me, since you would not be mistaken for assuming my fascination was owing to their wealth status – right? I should be clear that my curiosity extends towards the mindset of self-made billionaires in particular.
Consider for a moment the conviction a self-made billionaire has in order to reach their level of success, notwithstanding the insurmountable hurdles along the way.
Whilst researching this topic in 2011, there were 946 billionaires in the world. At the time of writing this article in 2014, that number has swelled to 1,645 with an aggregate wealth of $6.5 trillion. That is a staggering number to say the least.
Despite people’s beliefs about the rich, the wealthy are not deceitful in their pursuit of wealth – rather they are astute and industrious.
To become a billionaire requires one to overcome numerous mental and emotional hurdles. It requires a profound confidence to never give up, given the economic forces of life are continually against those reaching for success.
In order to attain such an astounding level of wealth, one must think and act differently. There must be an inherent self-belief, unyielding motivation and a desire to prevail.
Represented in the quote, “The more you help people get what they want, the more you get what you want,” this simple axiom forms the basis to a wealthy person’s philosophy.
Self-made billionaires maintain an unwavering level of mental toughness and resiliency. According to authors who have written extensively on talent and success, including: Malcom Gladwell, Cal Newport and Robert Greene, talent is not bestowed upon us at the time of our birth. Rather success is acquired over time arising from firm persistence and dedication.
Whilst the nature vs nurture discussion has eluded scientists and behavioural economists for years, many have struggled to draw consensus on what it takes to be talented.
In recent times evolutionary psychologists now infer that nurture nature is a more appropriate term which suggests that environment accounts for a large portion of a person’s success, whilst acknowledging DNA to be equally important.
“Don't quit. Never give up trying to build the world you can see, even if others can't see it. Listen to your drum and your drum only. It's the one that makes the sweetest sound.” - Simon Sinek
Sage Advice
In keeping with success as a motivating factor, the following points are valuable models for building on your achievement - thus abolishing the desire to give up:
1. A relentless desire to succeed.
2. Extending yourself each time.
3. Enjoying the journey.
Let’s examine these points in detail:
A relentless desire to succeed: Recall the last time you learned something new. You might have reached a point in the skill or task and proclaimed, “To hell with this, I give up?” I know I have.
I’d like to reframe the concept of winning to include, NOT giving up despite outward appearances. Leadership expert and author Robin Sharma offers the following sage advice, “If people aren’t laughing at you at least once a week, your dreams are too small.” That is, you’re not reaching beyond your capabilities.
Oftentimes you may expect to reap the rewards for the hard work you’ve earned. There may be little indication of success for weeks, months or years. You may even become disheartened at this stage and give up; right when a breakthrough is imminent.
This is an all too common scenario for most people. We strive for external confirmation, believing the fruits of our labour will ultimately yield a positive sign. At this crucial point, we must trust that events are unfolding in our favour behind the scenes and beyond our limited senses. The aphorism which invites you to believe it before you see it underscores the message of deep optimism.
Extending yourself each time: A number of people succumb to the impression that they must put everything on the line in order to succeed. That they must sacrifice everything in the pursuit of their goal. This is a misleading assumption based on a number of reasons.
Steady improvements over time often yield greater returns. Whilst I am not advocating a new idea, it was author Darren Hardy who skilfully outlines this point in his prize winning book, Compound Effect.
Using the elastic rubber band as a metaphor, your aim should be to extend yourself a little further each time, beyond your comfort zone. In doing so you discover more about yourself while taking calculated risks, since you’re able to identify mistakes with an enriched mind.
Enjoying the journey: In refusing to give up, you reconnect with your underlying motivation for pursuing your goal in the first place. Having become clear on your purpose, savouring the journey becomes the ultimate aphrodisiac.
I frequently work ten hour days including weekends with adequate rest and exercise in-between. As Sunday arrives, I often reflect on what I have achieved during the week and how I can build on my success in the following week. It’s reassuring to note that I haven’t really ‘worked’ at all – I have simply been absorbed in a Flow experience called work, which I remain deeply passionate about. Similarly I invite you to find your passion and pursue it with gusto – let the spirit of your quest come alive through you.
If you feel like giving up, I trust this article has served to reignite your desire to move forward with enthusiasm.
As a final thought, an unrelenting persistence and dedication were hailed as defining attributes by successful people.
With that in mind, create a vision of your ideal future. Fill it with optimism and empowering beliefs owing to your overall success – never give up, since you never know when the tides of fortune will come your way.
Think like a Billionaire
I am fascinated by billionaires. There I said it.
Please don’t hold me in contempt as I endeavour to explain myself.
Okay, it may have been a little presumptuous of me, since you would not be mistaken for assuming my fascination was owing to their wealth status – right? I should be clear that my curiosity extends towards the mindset of self-made billionaires in particular.
Consider for a moment the conviction a self-made billionaire has in order to reach their level of success, notwithstanding the insurmountable hurdles along the way.
Whilst researching this topic in 2011, there were 946 billionaires in the world. At the time of writing this article in 2014, that number has swelled to 1,645 with an aggregate wealth of $6.5 trillion. That is a staggering number to say the least.
Despite people’s beliefs about the rich, the wealthy are not deceitful in their pursuit of wealth – rather they are astute and industrious.
To become a billionaire requires one to overcome numerous mental and emotional hurdles. It requires a profound confidence to never give up, given the economic forces of life are continually against those reaching for success.
In order to attain such an astounding level of wealth, one must think and act differently. There must be an inherent self-belief, unyielding motivation and a desire to prevail.
Represented in the quote, “The more you help people get what they want, the more you get what you want,” this simple axiom forms the basis to a wealthy person’s philosophy.
Self-made billionaires maintain an unwavering level of mental toughness and resiliency. According to authors who have written extensively on talent and success, including: Malcom Gladwell, Cal Newport and Robert Greene, talent is not bestowed upon us at the time of our birth. Rather success is acquired over time arising from firm persistence and dedication.
Whilst the nature vs nurture discussion has eluded scientists and behavioural economists for years, many have struggled to draw consensus on what it takes to be talented.
In recent times evolutionary psychologists now infer that nurture nature is a more appropriate term which suggests that environment accounts for a large portion of a person’s success, whilst acknowledging DNA to be equally important.
“Don't quit. Never give up trying to build the world you can see, even if others can't see it. Listen to your drum and your drum only. It's the one that makes the sweetest sound.” - Simon Sinek
Sage Advice
In keeping with success as a motivating factor, the following points are valuable models for building on your achievement - thus abolishing the desire to give up:
1. A relentless desire to succeed.
2. Extending yourself each time.
3. Enjoying the journey.
Let’s examine these points in detail:
A relentless desire to succeed: Recall the last time you learned something new. You might have reached a point in the skill or task and proclaimed, “To hell with this, I give up?” I know I have.
I’d like to reframe the concept of winning to include, NOT giving up despite outward appearances. Leadership expert and author Robin Sharma offers the following sage advice, “If people aren’t laughing at you at least once a week, your dreams are too small.” That is, you’re not reaching beyond your capabilities.
Oftentimes you may expect to reap the rewards for the hard work you’ve earned. There may be little indication of success for weeks, months or years. You may even become disheartened at this stage and give up; right when a breakthrough is imminent.
This is an all too common scenario for most people. We strive for external confirmation, believing the fruits of our labour will ultimately yield a positive sign. At this crucial point, we must trust that events are unfolding in our favour behind the scenes and beyond our limited senses. The aphorism which invites you to believe it before you see it underscores the message of deep optimism.
Extending yourself each time: A number of people succumb to the impression that they must put everything on the line in order to succeed. That they must sacrifice everything in the pursuit of their goal. This is a misleading assumption based on a number of reasons.
Steady improvements over time often yield greater returns. Whilst I am not advocating a new idea, it was author Darren Hardy who skilfully outlines this point in his prize winning book, Compound Effect.
Using the elastic rubber band as a metaphor, your aim should be to extend yourself a little further each time, beyond your comfort zone. In doing so you discover more about yourself while taking calculated risks, since you’re able to identify mistakes with an enriched mind.
Enjoying the journey: In refusing to give up, you reconnect with your underlying motivation for pursuing your goal in the first place. Having become clear on your purpose, savouring the journey becomes the ultimate aphrodisiac.
I frequently work ten hour days including weekends with adequate rest and exercise in-between. As Sunday arrives, I often reflect on what I have achieved during the week and how I can build on my success in the following week. It’s reassuring to note that I haven’t really ‘worked’ at all – I have simply been absorbed in a Flow experience called work, which I remain deeply passionate about. Similarly I invite you to find your passion and pursue it with gusto – let the spirit of your quest come alive through you.
If you feel like giving up, I trust this article has served to reignite your desire to move forward with enthusiasm.
As a final thought, an unrelenting persistence and dedication were hailed as defining attributes by successful people.
With that in mind, create a vision of your ideal future. Fill it with optimism and empowering beliefs owing to your overall success – never give up, since you never know when the tides of fortune will come your way.
