Find Inspiration to End the Year. Not Just Motivation.

The last month of the year is almost upon us. Even without a calendar, I can tell we’re pushing into December from all the motivational end-of-year rally cries from companies and influencers.

Can’t you? “Make the final push!”, “Keep going!”, “Don’t give up!”. Correct me if I’m wrong here, but if all it takes is motivation we’d all have arrived already as there’s certainly enough of it online.

I’m all for some good motivation, but there’s only so far it can take you.

By Google’s definition: motivation is the reason (or reasons) one has for acting. They’re drivers that involve some kind of outside force: a paycheck, meeting certain metrics (by the end of the year!) or trying to prove something. Sure, these things can push you for a while — but they’re short-term, don’t lead to fulfillment, and they certainly won’t hold up when things get especially hard. After-all, reasons can and do change. 

For long-term, sustainable and resilient change, you need something other than motivation.

Something I’ve been thinking about for myself in the Autonomy Course I’m in. You need (as the title already gave away) inspiration. Something that comes from within, isn’t circumstantial and doesn’t even necessarily have a reason. Things like love, integrity or loyalty. These are things that you can hang on to and work towards #NoMatterWhat is happening in the outside world. And they’ll keep you going even in the hardest of times since they’re not dependent on anything external. They’re not dependent on anything other than you. 

Right along with the heavy-dose of year-end motivation, you might ask yourself… 

• What really matters to you?

• And why?

• When was the last time you were moved or inspired by something?

• What?

Of all the year-end goals you might have, what deeper purpose is there for you in accomplishing them? Is there any? (If not, what are you going to do about that?)

The answers to these questions, and questions like them, will pull you to your professional and personal goals and beyond — not just push you to perpetually take one more step towards them.

I invite you to join me in the #NoMatterWhat Community to share what inspires you, moves you or calls you into action. By sharing it with the group, that inspiration will grow even stronger (it’s committing — “getting a tattoo” — even in a small way) and there’s no telling who else you might touch. By the way, even if you’re not sure what inspires you right now, I invite you to join me there to speculate, hear from others, and maybe even find something that resonates with you. I find constant inspiration in this group and what they’re up to. 

2021 will be over before we know it.

I’m all for motivation and positivity posts, especially if they work for you. But why not use some of the rest of this year to go deeper — to reflect, inquire and sit with what inspires you. Let go of all the reasons, even if just for a moment, to get closer to the heart of your own inspiration. Find inspiration that will call you into action through the end of the year, through the inevitable 2022 New-Year motivational push, and through whatever might be coming next.

Not just motivation. Inspiration.