MOTIVATION

I'm not here to bore any of you. So I hope a chapter on motivation will do enough to properly motivate you. You see, a properly motivated person is practically guaranteed results. One can not hope to succeed without a goal (what you want), a plan (how you are going to get it), and motivation (what drives you). A properly motivated person can overcome tremendous odds.

Let's take a close look at the word motivation and its' meaning. To motivate simply means to supply a motive. A motive is something that influences, something that compels you and drives you.

Any great sports coach has mastered the art of finding ways to motivate his team. Coaches know that their athletes have to be in the right frame of mind and focused properly in order to be most productive and effective. This is accomplished by motivating the team by stressing the importance of a match. Or maybe by telling the team how no one expects them to win. And by doing so they can prove everyone wrong. Whatever it is that will influence the players to perform at their peak must be found and explored.

I'm sure that you've heard of a boxer by the name of James "Buster" Douglas. He is still the only man to defeat Mike Tyson. Mike was king of the heavyweight boxers at the time that he lost to Douglas. In spite of the fact that Tyson lost to Douglas, some boxing experts, and many fans, still consider him to be the best. However, on that particular day in Japan, "Buster" knocked Tyson out and thoroughly dominated him to become the champion.

Douglas had a goal, and that is very important. Without a goal, you are walking around blindly. It's like driving around without knowing where you are going. You'll get a ride out of the deal, but who knows if you'll end up somewhere good. You may. But that all depends on luck, and there are two kinds of luck; good and bad. You should never leave your fate in the hands of luck. If you do, you don't have control. Without having control, you can't properly predict your results. And the bottom line is that we want results. We want what we came to get. Just like "Buster" Douglas. He went to Tokyo to fight Mike Tyson for the heavyweight boxing championship of the world. He didn't let his fate lie in the hands of luck. He trained greatly for the fight to give himself an excellent chance of winning. Other things do come into play also.

Let's analyze this situation:

GOAL
Busters' goal was to become champion.

PLAN
Buster trained for the fight and stuck to his game plan.

MOTIVATION
This is important. Busters' mother passed away just days before the fight. Instead of giving up, he used this to motivate him.

As you can see all three elements were present in Busters' huge victory. A goal, a plan, and motivation. These three elements need to be present anytime you are trying to achieve anything of importance. Actually, they should be present whenever you are trying to accomplish anything at all.

The motivation is essential though. Many people would have given up when faced with their mothers' death. Instead of giving up though, it should be used to drive you. Look what it did for "Buster" Douglas. He became a millionaire and only fought one more time after that. In fact he lost his next fight! He probably wasn't properly motivated. Just like Tyson probably wasn't properly motivated in their fight. He had crushed all of his previous opponents and was facing Douglas, who was nearly a 50-1 underdog.

It should have been no problem for Tyson. However when you take Douglas' motivation and put it up against Tysons' lack of motivation you have no contest.

The sports world is filled with upsets. Many times the underdog has risen to the occasion and, in spite of all odds, triumphed. Could all of these upsets be because of luck? No way! These underdogs were highly motivated, focused and trained for victory.

Even though the task at hand was a tall one that didn't favor them, they clearly knew what they had to do if they were going to win. And they did it The same holds true for everyday life. You may sometimes feel like everything and everyone is against you. At these times it may look like you have no shot. There may appear to be no sign of victory in sight. It is then that you must try to become another chapter in the book of underdogs who would not be denied.

My high-school wrestling coach always used to say that on any given day anyone can beat anyone. I'll never forget that. You shouldn't either. It is a statement that made me realize that I had a chance.

I wish that I would have realized this sooner in life. How many times can you think of in your life that you knew you didn't even have a shot at winning? Chances are you lost at these times. But, you defeated yourself before you even began. You told yourself that you couldn't win. You always have a chance. On any given day you can beat anyone!

One thing that is very important in accomplishing anything in life is the need to surround yourself with people that share the same interests as you and are supportive of your goals. This is crucial. However, it is not a necessity. Many people have reached their goals when faced with tremendous odds. But, being around those people that share the same interests will be a constant shot of adrenaline for you. It will make it that much easier for you to stay focused and dedicated. In fact, this will probably even help you reach your results that much quicker.

You should be around people that have accomplished, or are actively trying to accomplish, what you want. It is even better if these people know more than you. This way you are constantly learning. Remember, knowledge is power. Also remember that knowledge is useless if it is not used.

Good physical health should not be overlooked. It will make your life much more enjoyable. A proper diet, along with the right exercise program, goes a long way. When you are in shape and healthy you will feel much better and you will look much better also. And of course if you look better, you will feel better about yourself. You will be that much more confident.

When you are searching for motivation don't listen to others. That which motivates them may not necessarily motivate you. Find something that truly excites you. When you do, you will have taken all of the work out of what you are trying to accomplish.

Isn't something fun to do when you really want to do it? Well, then if you find something that truly motivates you, and if you really want it, and you know that my plan can get you it, shouldn't this be fun to do? It is. Just think of something that you really want. Read on and let me help you get it.