
How do you motivate yourself? For some people motivation flows naturally like a river. For others it is an elusive element in their lives. One thing I have learnt is that no matter how hard things get and in times of great need, it is often the words of others that can trigger a spark in you that can kick start your motivation and allow you to bounce back. A blog post by Srini Rao (www.theskooloflife.com) has done just that for me. His post “Tips for Navigating the Waters of Life” is a tremendously inspiring and no nonsense look at dealing with life’s challenges. Below is a summarized version of the key points in his post.
Instincts
- Your instincts are almost always right
- Your instincts are the higher self speaking
- If you go against instinct you are likely to land yourself in a complete mess
Be Wary of the Steps You Take
- If you decide on something, be absolutely 100 per cent sure you can see it through
- Know when it’s just time to bail out when you feel you can’t manage it
Be Present
- Don’t worry about getting ahead of others, focus on what you are doing right now – play your own game
- Be present and the rest will take care of itself
- Being in the present will allow you to achieve peak performance
- Don’t focus too much on the future and don’t get caught up in the past, this is a recipe for mediocrity
Erase Failure and Get Back Up
- You’re ability to deal with failure and setback will determine whether or not you have what it takes to achieve what you are truly capable of in your life
- Often the second wave of opportunity is better than the first so don’t beat yourself up. Your friends are on their first wave of opportunity
- If you keep critiquing yourself with others then you are likely miss out on the second wave of opportunity which is often better than the first
Be Patient
- There is no need to live life 100 mph, just slow down because you will get where you want to go much faster and you are less likely to suffer a setback
Small is Better
- Don’t make gigantic leaps because it is the small things in life that make the big difference and you will spend less effort for more results
Timing is Important
- Take advantage of opportunities that may not be present in the good times.
- Tough economic times often drive people towards innovation and breakthrough and this just happens to be timing at work
Wave Selection is the Key
- The key to success in any area of life is dependent on the choices you make so choose wisely
- Catching the right wave will enable you to catch one wave after another
- Choose the wrong wave and you will have to endure a hard time and work extra hard to pull your head out of the water
Laugh and Smile Everyday
- The age old saying, ‘laughter is the best medicine’ is still true
- It is a medicine that you won’t find in any pharmacy and costs you absolutely nothing
Srini’s analogy of viewing life’s opportunities and chances as waves provides a fresh and sensible way of looking at life. This may be the only success principle you need to follow. It has certainly allowed me to look at life from a different perspective, and it may do the same for you too.
Photo credit: vagabond9