The WHY in Motivation

I am reading a fascinating book right now, The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Well-being, by Hale Dwoskin. The premise of the book is that you need to understand the role your emotions play in who you are and what you do, and learn how to make those emotions have less control over you. Last night I was reading Chapter Three which deals with the benefits the reader will gain by reading and working the book.

As I was driving to work this morning I was thinking about what I had read and what Dwoskin’s intention was in writing that chapter. I believe the purpose of the chapter is to give us the WHY of the Sedona Method, in other words, to give us, the readers, the reason why we would want to spend our time and energy in using his method. He writes that the ultimate goal of the Sedona Method is freedom, “the freedom to choose to have, be, or do or to not have, be or do anything and everything." By telling the reader this, Dwoskin is motivating us to apply the Sedona method in our lives. When we understand the benefits of a course of action, the why, we are more likely to take that course or continue on it.

The why plays a big role in marketing. When you study marketing you are taught that in your marketing you are to sell the benefits to the buyer. The buyer isn’t really concerned about how long you have been in business, or information about the chief financial officer. These things don’t benefit the buyer, so the buyer isn’t motivated by them. Similarly, the buyer doesn’t really care that you want to make money; that’s your why. To motivate the buyer you need to create in her mind that your product or service will serve her why.

The why ties into self motivation in many ways. The first factor of self motivation, vision, is a most important why. It answers the question, “Why am I here?”

The why also plays a role in the second factor of self motivation, successability, our confidence in our competence. In my last couple of postings I discussed the goal and the task. I pointed out that one important requirement for both motivational goals and motivational tasks is that they be related to our vision, that we know the why of each goal and each task. We need to know that the reason we are doing each task, the why of that task, is because by completing the task, we will be closer to achieving our goals. We need to know that the reason we are doing each goal, the why of the goal, is because it will bring us closer to manifesting as our vision.

The why can also play a role in the third element of self motivation, the environment. One strategy I have found extremely helpful keeping me motivated on those occasions when I have struggled with keeping motivated is that I have surrounded myself, in my physical environment, with objects that represent my vision. When I see these objects I am reminded of my vision, my why, and I am more likely to not spend the evening vegging out in front of the television. As an example, my vision relates to me as a speaker and teacher, talking to people and showing them how to motivate themselves so they can achieve all their dreams. In my physical environment I keep all my Toastmaster awards. These awards represent for me something I love to do, public speaking, something I will be doing as I manifest as my vision.

What is your why? What is your purpose for being here? Find this out for yourself, and you will achieve great things.