Professional Writer

Start Your Engines

So…who are you counting on anyway? Who are you looking to for motivation? Is it your friends? Your family? Your spouse? Your boss?

While you should appreciate good advice from all those people, I recommend you don’t look to them for real, lasting motivation. Why? I’m glad you asked. Well, what if you’re depending on a friend to keep you “pumped up” and that friend moves to the other side of the country? Sure, emails are always available, but you and I both know it’s not the same as being together in person…or even on the phone.

Stop Buggin’

In fact, if you’re depending on a family member or a spouse or a boss, you’ll find many distractions or obstacles can block your success. Maybe they’re just not in a good mood or even “in the mood”. Maybe you’ve had a disagreement, and they’re just tired of having to lift your spirits for the umpteenth time. Perhaps they just think it’s your turn to motivate them for a change. See what I mean? Feelings and moods can change. Don’t depend on them.

Hey, I know what! You could go to your local book store and get a motivational self-help book. They’re full of techniques, systems, or blueprints guaranteed to get you out of your doldrums and back on the road to rosy cheeks and dimpled smiles. Do you detect a hint of sarcasm? Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of books, manuals, pamphlets, and ezines to help you straighten out your thinking. And many of them are great to start your thinking process or your creativity, but remember…I’m talking about real Lasting motivation. Not the fly-by-night kind.

Look Under Your Hat

So, do this mean there’s really no one you can count on for the motivation you need? Quite the contrary oh searching one. There is one person who knows you like the back of your hand. In fact, this person actually had a massive part in the development of the back of your hand. In fact…take a look at the back of your hand right now. Follow it up the arm, over the shoulder, around the neck, and look directly into the face of the one who can motivate you more (and more efficiently) than anyone else. No, I’m not talking about the “monkey on your back” silly. It’s YOU. Impossible you say? Nay nay I say.

Stay tuned to learn about the U in YOU. You’re gonna love this…

Tags: feelings, in the mood, self-help

“What Is Real, Lasting Motivation?”

Ken had a very nagging feeling that just wouldn’t leave him alone. Right after he had his coffee each morning he’d start to stress over his ideas. As he was having his bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit something would scurry across his mind and sort of punch him in the ear. Then, as he was finishing his shower and about to head out the door to work, it hit him the hardest. Was this the lasting motivation I’m talking about? No…it was Ken’s lasting frustration.

Big difference!

You see; Ken had some great ideas about marketing a new product and online business, but he couldn’t get past the idea point. Maybe you know what I’m talking about…that point where you can’t seem to get something out of your head, but you don’t know where to go from here. Then days pass…then weeks…then maybe even a few months, and you realize you can’t get off that hump that holds you back.

Unfortunately; that’s where so many people stop. And their ideas stop with them. And their dreams, wants, and desires. Listen up. Don’t let that happen to you. Please! You really don’t have to let it happen, and there are great ways to be sure you won’t fall into the same trap of letting your dreams fade away. That’s why I’ve started this series. To get you motivated…for yourself, your family, your business, your work, or whatever…and keep the motivational fire burning brighter. You’ll see it isn’t as hard, and it doesn’t have to be as expensive, as you might have been lead to believe.

Stay tuned for part 2: Start Your Engines!

© Copyright Tony Funderburk 2008

Tags: lasting frustration, lasting motivation

You’re gonna start hearing this a lot: “It’s that time of year again.”

Some people will express it with zest and happiness. Some will say it with dread and anxiety. And they’ll all be talking about the same thing…”the holidays”. I prefer to think of it as Thanksgiving & Christmas, but being a Christian it’s only natural for me to do that.

OK…what makes the same time of year so different for different people? I think the biggest factor is money. Either having enough or not having enough. It’s unfortunate, but this time of year has become so commercialized that millions of people believe they have to go out and get everybody a gift. And in some cases I mean everybody. From the family to the boss to the mailman to the check out clerk at the grocery store. Then the worst part is they buy so many of these “gifts” on credit cards. Then, the following year at “that time of year again” they’re right back to the funnel of dread and anxiety.

This year seems particularly difficult to many struggling families. So my suggestion to you business owners and marketers is this…have a little compassion. Remember who you’re talking to when you begin your “holiday” advertising. Sure you need to make money, too, and that’s only fair. But remember to show how much you care about the people you’re selling to.

They’ll thank you for it with repeat business, customer loyalty, and the coveted word-of-mouth advertising your business needs.

Enough of my soapbox speech. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Tags: Thanksgiving, time of year