What if it’s not a motivation problem?

    What if the statement, “I’m just not motivated,” really means, “I’m not yet ready and/or willing to become aware of what’s really going on for me?”  Every time we create a conclusion about why things are as they are or why we are as we are, we close the door to receiving new insights or information about it.   Speaking to the subject of motivation, when it shows up as a challenge for you, one of two things may be going on.  1) What you plan to do is out of alignment with your values or 2) Fear is operating.

    On the subject of values, I speak to that in some of my earlier posts.  Speaking to the subject of fear, there are seeming endless perspectives on what it is, why it’s there and how to move through it.  What if what was really going on is that you didn’t want to confirm what you believe to be true about you?  This includes proving all the ways that you are wrong, a failure, bad, unlovable, not good enough etc.  An example would be not applying for a job that you really want because if you don’t get it it’ll drive home the belief you have that you are a failure or not good enough.  Another example would be saying no to a date because you don’t want to have to experience feelings of rejection if they change their mind later on (which would prove that you’re not desirable or lovable).  Take a look at the points of view or beliefs that you’re carrying (that you may not want to see).  Did they start with you?  Do they belong to you?  What if they were never yours to begin with?  See, many people have come to see themselves as a collection of stories about what’s right and what’s wrong about them from their point of view.  What if we are all so much more than that?  And what if we were willing to let go of everywhere where we’ve been trying to prove how bad and wrong or how good and right we are?  My sense is that there is so much more beyond the good/bad, right/wrong paradigm that many of us have been operating in.  One of my favourite questions is, “What else is possible?”  Play with these questions and see what shows up.  I heard the phrase recently that your job is not to know how, your job is to say yes. 

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