What Motivates You to Do Anything?

It all started with a single “yes.” I’m amazed by how this one “yes” has provided me with an ongoing source of motivation.

Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience when one decision motivated a chain of actions.

What was the “yes?” About eighteen months ago, I said, “yes” to the invitation for applying to be on the Board as President-Elect of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD.) I was voted in and took office a year ago. My term ended yesterday as President-Elect. Today begins my first day as President. I’m passionate about ICD and look forward to continuing the great work that’s being done with a fantastic team of volunteers and staff.

There are many positive things that I’ve been motivated to do since making that one decision. What’s possible for you? Consider saying, “yes” to something that stretches you outside your comfort zone. Observe how this motivates your actions. How will motivation appear? These are a few areas where my motivation was supercharged:

Reading

I love reading and always have a big, rotating stack of “books to read” on my nightstand. In preparation for my new role, I’ve been motivated to read more books about leadership. Some of the gems have included Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek and Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. To my delight, the pile keeps growing.

Relaxing

Knowing that my new role will demand more of my time, I’ve been motivated to build in guilt-free relaxation time including weekends away. The weekends have provided me with longer stretches to unwind, relax, and think. They’ve included anniversary weekends with my husband in the Hudson Valley and wonderful beach weekends with the girlfriends at The Ocean House B&B on the Jersey Shore. There’s nothing quite like getting away or being by the sea to put things in perspective.

Exercising

The “yes” motivated me to exercise regularly. The day flows better when I begin with some simple stretching and walking. When possible, I take additional “green” breaks during the day in the woods or by the river. These are rejuvenating and great for my physical and emotional wellbeing.

Writing

Journaling, blogging, and letter writing have increased, or at least continued as a result of the “yes.” Writing is one of my creative outlets – a venue to process, develop, and share ideas.

Leaping

Motivation to try things I’ve never done has accompanied the “yes. Some of these firsts have included taking Comedy Improv classes, doing a Skype interview with Smead, and traveling to Japan later this year to speak at the JALO (Japan Association of Life Organizers) conference.

Connecting

Even when I was very young, it was always been about people and building relationships. During this time I’ve been motivated to continue nourishing my current relationships while building new ones. I’m grateful for my community of family, friends, colleagues, and readers like you.

Have you made a decision that has motivated you to take other actions? I’d love to hear about your experience? Come join the conversation!