Who wants to be a millionaire? Well, let's say I offer you just that - 1 million dollars to cross a plank that is connecting two buildings. They are several hundred feet high and about 30 feet apart. And just to let you know, this tends to be a very windy area and the board you'll be crossing is about 5, maybe 6 inches wide and a couple of inches thick. Alright, any takers? What - not a one? C'mon, it's a million smackers! You, your children and all their pets could live on the interest of a million bucks. Well, maybe not quite, but that's a load of money. Okay, let's change this up a bit. Let's say then that on the other side of that board is your family and unless you make it across to the other side, they'll die. You and you alone can save them. Have you changed your mind?
Alright, I don't really have a million dollars - obviously. But like you, when I read this example as told in the book titled The Power of Story, I was amazed at my change in paradigm. At first, I wouldn't have dreamed of crossing that board. A million dollars wasn't worth it to me. I found, however, that the idea of saving my family was incredibly motivating. I'd have at least tried to make is across, even at my own peril. I'd imagine most of us would.
The point is that when we have purpose, it can be powerful - even to the point of helping us make incredible changes in our lives. Jim Loehr also related the motivating power of purpose to smoking. Most people know it's bad for them and yet that isn't enough motivation for them to change their behavior. He goes on to say that in general, he's found that when women discover they are pregnant - women who've tried to break the habit before - are able to quit cold turkey. Wow! What made the difference? They had a clear and motivating purpose.
We all have bad habits and things that we'd like and need to change. If you're having trouble finding motivation to make the change and stick with it - do some soul searching and find the purpose behind the change. It has to be something you love deeply to have the kind of power to move you, but once you find it, you'll likely be astonished at how quickly you're able to do what needs to be done. Like your favorite super hero, you'll be super powered by purpose to do great things!
Go forth and conquer!
Tara has been in the business of teaching, training, and coaching for over 5 years and is a Mission Ignition Certified Coach. She recently started her own Success Coaching business called Joy Quest Coaching.
No comments:
Post a Comment