Reigniting the Fire Within
Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. – Stephen R. Covey
Article by BridgeMaker contributor Ralph Jean-Paul. Please visit Ralph at Potential2Success.com.
I made my way to the sofa after finishing dinner from one of my favorite Chinese restaurants. It was a Sunday night and I was planning my week. Usually, I get excited about the events of the upcoming week but today was different.
Today I lacked the enthusiasm that usually accompanies my weekly planning.
Even though my fortune cookie read “doors will be opening for you in many areas of your life”, I didn’t feel any better. It wasn’t that things were not going good in my life. In fact, things were going very well. But I somehow felt as though my drive and ambition was missing. The more I looked at my weekly plan, the more meaningless the tasks, meetings, and responsibilities became.
I had to do something about this mundane feeling. I decided to start by taking an inventory of my life.
Taking Inventory
If you’ve ever had a job where you had to take inventory, you know that it isn’t the most enjoyable task there is. Essentially what you are doing is determining how much product you actually have in stock to sell. Hopefully, what you actually have will match what your records say you should have.
Similar to taking inventory for a retail store, I was going to take an inventory of my life. I wanted to know if I had “in stock” the things that enrich my life. These are the areas that I decided to examine:
- Material Possessions.
A list of possessions that I’ve acquired within the past year that have enhanced my life in some way. - Experiences.
All of the good experiences that I was blessed to have. I also wanted to list negative experiences that I was able to learn from. - Skills, Talents, and Accomplishments.
My current skill set and talents as well as any new skills that I’m currently developing. Also, any professional or personal accomplishments and victories that have happened this year. - People and Relationships.
The people who are making a difference in my life and the state of our relationship.
I grabbed my little red notepad that usually sits on my computer desk and drove to one of my favorite parks. As I sat on the park bench, the signs of spring were all around. The trees were green again and baby ducklings followed their mother across the water.
When I began to take inventory, my mood began to change. I started to realize how much I’ve actually accomplish in the first part of the year. I felt my enthusiasm slowly beginning to return and my outlook becoming more positive.
After I completed my list, I looked at it with excitement. I was on track to accomplish many of the things that I wanted to achieve this year. But more importantly, I learned two valuable lessons that I will carry with me the rest of the year.
Reigniting the Fire Within
What Am I Becoming?
What a person becomes is much more important than who that person is and who they were in the past. After taking inventory of my life, I could see clearly what I was becoming. All of the actions, experiences, and people that were included in my inventory pointed to who I was becoming.
For example, I have a great mix of old and new friends that inspire and encourage me as well as a family that supports my dreams and goals. Being surrounded by so much support made me realize that I am becoming stronger and more confident in my abilities. I am becoming the man I was meant to be.
With every day that passes and every decision we make, we are either getting closer to becoming who we are supposed to be or we are taking a step back. Be sure that your decisions and actions reflect the person you want to become.
Understanding My “Why”
It’s very easy to focus on the results of getting out of bed every morning instead of the purpose. When we wake up in the morning, get dressed, and go to work, the result is a paycheck. But why you are getting out of bed is really to support yourself, family, and lifestyle. It is the “why” that makes life worth living.
I love to see people succeed! I get excitement from helping them succeed. The love for helping others develop their God-given talent drives me forward every day. I also love challenging myself to accomplish new and exciting things and using that experience to inspire others to do the same. That is what really lights a fire in my belly. That is my “why”.
If you have goals, dreams, and aspirations, go back to why you want those things to begin with. Return to your reason for getting out of bed.
I took that momentum and began writing new goals for the year. The fire was back!
What is your “why”? Please considering sharing in Comments below.
Ralph Jean-Paul is not only committed to his own personal development, but he is also committed to the personal development of everyone he comes in contact with. To learn more about Ralph, please visit Potential2Success.com.
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Comments
8 Responses to “Reigniting the Fire Within”
What do you think?
Fantastic post, Ralph.
To continue to understand more about the “why,” check out Simon Sinek if you haven’t already. He’s very inspiring with what he does and helps ground you in why you’re actually doing what you’re doing.
I saw an interview with him a few weeks ago on a site called Mixergy.com (a wonderful site for entrepreneurs by the way), and I immediately starting thinking more about my “why.”
This post now is just driving that home even more. Thanks so much for sharing and encouraging.
Oh, and for me right now, this is my why: to encourage people to encourage people. That’s really why I do what I do and decide how to do it.
Hope I’m an encouragement here.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
It’s funny that you mention Simon Sinek. I was talking to someone about my plan to go back and review my purpose and that person mentioned Simon Sinek.
I did get a chance to view the interview on Mixergy. Very inspiring! Thanks for your comment. I have a feeling you will be an encouragement for many people
Thanks for responding, Ralph. I love when two people recommend someone independently of each other… maybe it’s a selfish thing, but it helps me feel validated, like my thoughts aren’t that crazy.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
I guess this is why sometimes I feel like my life is empty and meaningless. Because when I take a mental “inventory” (as you put it) of my life, I see that I haven’t really accomplished much. And also the “why” I haven’t found purpose for doing the things that I do. Thank you for pointing these things out to me.
Why, this is an important question you have posed here. Most people do the things they do without questioning their intent. Actually, we do the things we do just for the sake of doing it, without any clear purpose at all. This makes me think and contemplate.
Nice Ralph
I love the transparency of your posts. Congratulation on expanding your viewpoint to take in the larger picture of who you are and the life the life you wish to create. I am reminded of the Jim Rohn quote that “Success is about who you become”.
I find that when I am open to receive my intuition and inspiration, I can feel the fire within me because I am aligned with Source. When I try to figure things out and rely on my mind to direct my actions, I usually lose motivation. When I invite my soul to be the guiding force & use skills of my ego/mind to take inspired action that magic happens in my life.
Blessings my friend
Lo
@Ralph – Thanks for the article. Without unlayering the “what I want” to get down to the “why” behind it, my ego, fears, false-self, etc. can be much more at work in me than I’m aware. Thanks for reminding us.
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