Inspiration Versus Motivation--What's More Important | Signarama Murrieta

By Rick Melero

My life is thriving in balance with purpose. Is yours? Do you find yourself fighting to stay motivated? Are you putting things off . . . wasting time . . . lost without a purpose? If you said yes to any of these, there is still hope. But first, you must understand the difference between motivation and inspiration.

How would you like to be that person that is always motivated . . . always getting things done . . . always enjoying life . . . always fulfilled? If so, here are some time-tested principles that, if you apply them, will take you to that next level.

Motivation vs. Inspiration
Many people believe that motivation is the "engine" that drives you to success. Most people seeking motivation attend seminars to hear others as they share success stories and strategies. These events cause us to feel good and challenge us to get moving. However, when you face the real world, it often seems as if motivation just burns out on the extra mile. Have you ever felt that way too?

That is because "motivation," as Napoleon Hill says "is like fuel to a vehicle." So what exactly is the "engine" that drives you to success? If motivation is just an external portion that helps build momentum, where does the power lie?

Now inspiration, on the other hand, is internal and comes from realizing your purpose. The problem with most people is that their purpose is unclear and much smaller than was intended. Inspiration is truly the motor itself.

The reason many people lose motivation and quit before ever reaching the next level is because their purpose is smaller than themselves. However, what would happen if your purpose were bigger than you? I'm glad you asked . . .

Imagine you want to build a home. Just the thought of all the work involved makes you lose your motivation, but as you begin to think, you realize that in this "home" you will live with your spouse, raise your children, and have your grandchildren visit. You are now inspired and compelled to fulfill the vision of building your "home" no matter what the cost. This is your inspiration. Don't you deserve a life of inspiration?

Define Your Purpose
"Why?" is the first question you must ask yourself on both a personal and business level. If your "home" wanted to discover why it was built, who would it ask: the neighbor, the mailman, or its builder? I think you get the picture. So visualize your purpose by writing it down. Once your "why" is bigger than your "how," you will get inspired and the "hows" will automatically begin aligning themselves.

Break Through
You can't fight what you don't know exists. Answer this question: "What is holding me back from fulfilling my purpose?" The most popular answer is fear. Whatever your answer is, realize that you must conquer your obstacles or they will conquer you. If, while building your "home," you find there are problems with the foundation, you must do what it takes to strengthen what holds it all together. When you get weary, don't worry--it's normal. Remember that the foundation is the reason "why" you are paying the price.

Assemble Your Team
As you press toward the next level you will find that you can't do it on your own. Take the time to pick the right people who will empower you to keep moving forward in your journey. For example, a few things you might need to build your "home" are a developer, an architect, and a construction crew. What kind of team do you need to build your vision? How about a team that balances out all your weaknesses? That way, when you run across problems that seem impossible, you can seek answers from those who have them.

Grow in Balance
True success can be measured by how balanced your life is. Balance can be like the fence that protects your "home." It is vital to grow in every area of your life to experience the type of fulfillment that comes to those who grow in discipline. Decide to live balanced today and reap the benefits.

Enjoy the Journey
When you are taking action, every day takes you one step closer to fulfilling your purpose. Just like you would get excited about your "home" taking shape with each new day, so too should you enjoy traveling your path to success. So get excited! Every day you are one step closer to fulfilling your vision.

Remember . . .
Even though your "home" that took so much work is very valuable, nothing compares to the lives that will be shaped by and in it. So empower others to do the same by passing on these tools that enabled you to build your own.

Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com