HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED

Take responsibility in your decisions

e all have problems in Life. Some are temporary and others are permanent. Each one of us will have different types of problems. Let me broadly categorise those problems as  Personal, Family, Financial, Physical, Mental or Social. We want happiness in this world to remain with us, but are drowned with worries and problems.  In today’s world only a small percentage of people are happy. Most of us enjoy happiness and sadness  in equal proportions. However  a few  suffer throughout their lives with sorrow. At one point in life everyone undergoes a traumatic event. If the situation is not handled properly the person can become a patient because the individual becomes a victim of these problems.They are belittled by their problems. The end result is they become demotivated and inactive. They become dependent on others.

The irony is that though these people want a problem-free life no one endeavours to solve these problems.
For these people one problem becomes another problem and that creates yet another problem. It is like a chain of problems or multitude of problems. This is the saga of the meek and the weak.

Keeping these  facts in mind, then I am asking you how to be motivated? Having undergone tests, trials and turbulences  and solved the problems on my own and become stronger, I feel it is appropriate to pen down my advice after tapping from my experiences.
Let me start with the phrase that is prescribed in the Bible, which provides confidence to the meek and the weak. “ Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”. It is one of the Beatitudes from Jesus’  Sermon on the Mount, recorded in St Matthew’s gospel (Ch 5, verses 3 to 11).

Stand up in life

When you become meek and the weak you have to stand up in life. This thinking alone will provide you with inner strength. Once you possess this you will be in a position to analyse the matter meticulously.
Take down a piece of paper. Write down the problems and find out the real ones. You need to identify the “Root cause of the Problem”. When you do this your 50% of the problems are sorted out. Subsequently you have to write down the possible solutions and choose the best possible solution. To do this you may need the support of your family members or friends. Listen to them carefully. But heed this advice. It is you who must take the decision. It is pretty hard at times as you will have a wavering mind due to the loads of advice given. Take responsibility in your decisions and now it is the time to implement this advice. When finding solutions to your problems first, try to solve the biggest problem.

Generally, people tend to solve the easiest problem first. This stems from answering the easiest question in the exam paper during school time as a student. My advice is if you solve the toughest question first, you will automatically get the answers to the rest of the problems.
Now, my advice to be motivated throughout your life span. Keep your eyes open for “ Opportunities and Challenges”. Please do not try to evade problems. Face them upright. You need to hold the bull by the horns. You need to think positively. You need to be bold and courageous.
Do not resist change. Nothing is permanent except change. Hence, change with the change.

"Keep on performing your duties whether at your home, office, society or country. Believe me you will have happiness and joy in abundance by following this advice"

In the first place you must change. Remember when you do the same thing repeatedly you would get the same result.
Ideally, you must anticipate changes and prepare yourself to face them confidently.
From today onwards try to make a few changes in your daily life. To start speak to your parents, spouse, children and friends. Show them your “Affection and Love”.
Show them that you care for them. This will give you the “Inner Peace”.

As prescribed in the Bhagavat Gita, do your duties,  but do not focus on the results. Keep on performing your duties whether at your home, office, society or country. Believe me you will have happiness and joy in abundance by following this advice.
We have only one life. Let us enjoy our brief stay in this materialistic world. In order to prepare ourselves for the spiritual world enjoy yourself by starting early in life. There is a myth which says that you have to enter the Spiritual Life after retirement. You do not need to wait until you become 55 or 60 years old. By that time your stamina would have reduced and you may have hearing and reading problems. So, start early in your life; may be the latter part of 30’s, most preferably.
I am sure what I have presented thus far would have thrown some light on how to solve your problems if  not how to find instant solutions to them. This is the main objective of this article.

I know that you will agree with me that the advice presented in this article will help you to ‘Stay Motivated in your Life’.
Yesterday was Christmas. I take this opportunity to wish the readers who celebrated this Holy Day ‘A Merry Christmas’. Let us rejoice at the birth of Infant Jesus who is the Saviour of his followers.
I also wish all readers a Happy New Year.
“May the ‘Dreams closest to your Heart’ come true in the upcoming New Year.

Stay Blessed.

( The writer, who is the General Manager of “ SURGI VISION” & the Former Chairman / Editor-in –Chief of the Newsletter Committee, Old Boys’ Union, St.Joseph’s College, Colombo 10,  can be reached via [email protected])