The Process of Personal Transformation: Motivation - Who's In Your Driver's Seat

An Undisciplined Mind Is Your Worst Enemy

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Part Nine ended with this:

Motivation is having our calling so fixed in our hearts and minds that no matter what comes our way, it is unshaken.

However, as Jim Rohn said,
”Motivation alone is not enough. If you have an idiot and you motivate him, now you have a motivated idiot.”

If we have not educated ourselves and then created an action plan, all the motivation in the world will not carry us forward.

I know we covered some means of motivation in the action stage, but motivation is more than just reading, listening, and watching.

Motivation is putting what we read, listen to, and watch into action. We must continue to develop ironclad habits that allow us to change what we do and how we do it.

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. - Jim Rohn

Many instances in the Bible portray the steadfastness of those who are called to do certain things. Two that stand out in my mind are Daniel and Jesus.

In Daniel Chapter 1, vs. 8 we read,

“Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank”.

Notice it said, he “purposed in his heart”.

His habit was to face Jerusalem three times a day and pray.

His heart was already set, therefore when the time came to choose, he was not fraught with indecision. He had determined his course of action ahead of time.

Again, in Luke Chapter 9 vs. 51-53 we read,

“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.”

Jesus knew exactly the horror of what He would face in Jerusalem. Not only would He face ridicule and scorn by the same people who professed to be His followers, but he also faced the torturous death of crucifixion.

He would literally bear the sins of all mankind as the sacrificial lamb. Now, whether you believe this was a literal event or not (I do), the picture is an extremely graphic portrayal of one who determined in his heart to carry out his calling to the fullest extent, no matter what.

The Apostle Paul described it very well in 1Corinthians 9:22-27

“To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Paul’s motivation for his disciplined life was that he wanted his life to make a difference. He didn’t want it all to be for nothing.

In Philippians 3:13-14 he tells of his primary motivation:

“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

In other words, don't look back at all the time you wasted. Don't look back on all the mistakes and failures in your past. You cannot change those things, but you can direct what comes next.

Three simple things to have a mindset of success -

• Purpose in your heart to nail down your calling in life (education).

• Create a workable plan (action).

• Keep your heart and mind focused and your goal before you at all times. (motivation).

If you do these things consistently, your life will be transformed in short order and continue to be transformed to do greater things than you could ever imagine.

Remember, the fruit (results of what we do) produced in our lives will give an indication of the state of our hearts and minds. (ref. Matthew 7:15-20). You must start AND finish the race.

God will give you the hands, heart, and head to do what you are called to do, but He won't do it for you.

How to stay motivated

I touched on this somewhat in the chapters on Action.

• Continue to listen to positive reinforcement.

• Have an attitude of possibility is crucial.

• Surround ourselves with those who will encourage us to accomplish greater things than we thought possible.

But, as you have no doubt already figured out, not everything is positive. A great deal of life is negative. It’s not just talking about having a bad day or being surrounded by negative people. I am talking about the things we have little or no control over.

Disaster, disappointment, disease, and death- all part of life. No one is immune. No one is insulated from what life in the flesh has to offer.

So why, you may ask, does it seem that some people have a charmed life and others are continually bombarded with disaster after disaster?

How is it that some folks seem to move from mountain top to mountain top, yet others are beaten down in the valley of disappointment?

Again, I must turn to my virtual mentor, Jim Rohn. One of the many things he said that has made a huge difference in my life is something I’ve quoted in previous Chapters:

“The same winds of adversity blow on us all. What makes the difference is how we set our sail”.

In other words, how we respond to the negative things in our lives has everything to do with the direction our lives take.

It’s not that some never have adversity—we all do. But they respond in a way that minimizes the difficulty and use it to move forward.

Remember the example, in the chapter on education, of how a sail can be used to guide our boat, even contrary to the wind that is blowing?

Well, the same philosophy can be applied to life itself. We do not have control over much of what happens in life, but we do have control over our response.

Take, for example, Nick Vujicic.

Nick was born with no arms and no legs. Just a head and a body. Most cannot even fathom what that would be like. Growing up, his family tried to give him as normal a life as possible. They sent him to school, where he was constantly bullied and made fun of. His siblings would take advantage of him. He struggled with even learning to “stand” upright if you could call it that.

Today, Nick is a successful Evangelist and also a motivational speaker. He has used his disadvantage of not having limbs to help others see the possibilities in their own lives. After all, if he can do it, anyone can.

He could have become bitter and accepted charity for the rest of his life. Instead, he has helped change the lives of thousands, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Nick even married the love of his life and is a father to a growing family. I highly recommend his autobiography, LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS. I guarantee that you will never see the obstacles you face the same again.

So, you see, even having no arms or legs is not a legitimate excuse for a life of misery. Success is not about having arms and legs.

Success or failure is not about where you grew up or what color you are. Just ask Dr. Ben Carson, arguably the world’s most successful neurosurgeon. Or Farrah Gray, who grew up on Chicago's infamous Southside, yet became a self-made millionaire (legitimately) at age 14.

Success or failure is not about your bloodline or heritage. The world is full of aristocratic bums, while others have worked themselves out of the slums.

Success or failure is not about the circumstances life hands to you. Talk to Condoleezza Rice or Colin Powell, or any number of individuals who have come from less-than-ideal circumstances, yet have impacted the world in profound ways.

Success or failure is not about working yourself to death with nothing much to show for it. It's not about being stuck in a miserable life with no way out.

It is about the courage to pursue an idea “whose time has come”, as Harland Stonecipher showed this when, as a result of an unfair lawsuit, he founded Pre-Paid Legal (now Legal Shield) to help average Americans facing everyday legal issues. Trials of life happen to everyone. The only thing that matters is how we respond.

Successful people do not publicize their misfortune or circumstances in life. They set about learning from them and finding a way forward anyway.

Staying motivated while pursuing your passion involves several things.

• First, know without a shadow of a doubt what your dream or passion is, and never stop learning everything you can about your calling.

• Second, understand the path to achieve your passion and develop a plan to get there.

• Third, hone the mindset and skills needed to follow your plan.

• Fourth, study those who have followed a similar pursuit and emulate them.

So far, in this series on Midlife Metamorphosis, we have looked at The Principles of Personal Transformation and The Process of Personal Transformation.

Part Three: The Proof of Personal Transformation, will wrap this study up with a look at some people over the centuries who have demonstrated success at transforming their lives despite adverse circumstances or age.

Thank you for subscribing or following Life UnCorked. Until next time, my friends …

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Life UnCorked is all about successfully navigating the issues of life from a Christian point of view.

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