What is motivation? According to Oxford Languages via Google, it’s “the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way“ and also “the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.“

Basically, motivation supplies us with the energy, the fire, the purpose for taking action. More often than not, motivation likely comes to us through external means.

The thing is, if we really want to act for our highest and best, we need that motivation to come from within.

Motivation from within = self-motivation

The way of this is simple: When the motivation comes from within, it is specific to you, designed for you, aligned with you. When the motivation comes from without, it is as though for the one-size-fits-all, unlike the powerful one that is you, true to the person from which it came and so not true to you.

That’s a great way to put it, and pretty strongly worded, at that. I like it, because it gets to the point. I also like it because it identifies something our ego can get behind on our behalf: the concept of us being nothing more than one-size-fits-all, aka generic.

Our ego wants us to be singular; to be special. And so when it comes to self-motivation, we can enroll our ego in supporting us in our efforts.

How’s that for an ego hack? ;-)

How do we self-motivate?

So, how do we self-motivate? That’s a really personal question, because as unique individuals we are motivated in unique ways.

Take me, for example. I’m motivated by my schedule. When my calendar blocking indicates something needs to be done, 98% of the time it gets done as indicated, within the blocked time. There’s great satisfaction - a sense of achievement, accomplishment, purpose - in that.

I’m also motivated by my desire, my need to be of service. Is that need aided and abetted by my intuition and spiritual guidance? It sure is.

Notice that both intuition and spiritual guidance are inwardly expressed. They come through me, not at me. And they’re aligned expressly with my highest and best. That my highest and best aligns with supporting the highest and best of others is a part of the grand scheme of things.

When it comes to everyday human stuff like doing dishes, sweeping, dusting, etc., I’m motivated by a desire for order. Is that a nod to the Libra sun I was born under? Absolutely, and it works in my favor.

It’s helpful to look at how we self-motivate, because those motivators that actually create results - actions - can be replicated to produce more actions.

We might self-motivate with

• affirmations

• a reward system

• a sense of excitement for a potential outcome

We see here that the way in which you self-motivate is less important than the actual self-motivation. There is no right or wrong way to self-motivate apart from that which causes harm to the self or others. Therefore, understand that what motivates you, if it is for your highest and best and supports actions for your highest and best, is what is intended for you.

And so it is.

How do you self-motivate?

Blessed be.