One of the greatest internal dynamics that any human can possess is motivation. Life is difficult for many Americans because they have lost their motivation.
I recently saw a story about a 100-year-old man who skydived out of an airplane. The reporter covering the story said the man also enjoys doing yoga and lives an active life.
A friend of mine who, at the age of almost 80, continues to build and sell hotels. He owns several but occasionally sells a couple for a lot of money and then builds another one or two. He started with very little but just kept trying and today he has millions of dollars.
We've all heard stories of people who just kept trying. We hear the success stories but often we don't hear too much about all the people who spent years trying and eventually gave up.
Nashville has countless gifted musicians who have never made it to the top — and countless more who gave up and went home. Hollywood, New York and other entertainment cities have had lots of starving artists who never made it to the level they aspired. Many people have dreamed of being president of the United States and worked hard to achieve their goal, but it hasn't happened for them and never will.
Millions have dropped out of college, failed at marriage, failed as parents, failed at dieting and exercise, and feel hopeless at life.
How do you stay motivated when you feel like you have failed? Do something you enjoy.
Why do we have to be so serious all the time? Life is serious. People get sick and die. We battle cancer and other diseases. We struggle with money and relationships and other people complicate our lives.
The hardest thing you may accomplish this week is to do something fun, but I suggest you engage in something that is entertaining and fun for you. Too many Americans are burned out in survival mode. They desperately tread the choppy waters of life. Stress, lack of sleep and worries fill their every day.
You might die tomorrow, so what is there that you might enjoy doing today? Doing something that brings a smile to your face occasionally is good for your heart and spirit. I always found that if I enjoy something, just a little, then I am drawn to it like a magnet.
Don't jump off cliffs without a parachute. If you have a day job then hold onto it until something else works out. Having a stable job of some sort is usually tiring and stressful. However, if you have a paycheck coming in then you have the mental wherewithal to experiment and be creative. You will have less time to be creative but at least you will have food in your stomach while you are trying.
Stability normally gives us a foundation to stand on and enhances motivation.
Occasionally, write down three or four things that you want to do. Your list might include planting a garden for this spring. Maybe you would like to join an exercise class, start walking a mile every day or start a new business venture. Writing it down and looking at your list for a few days will remind you what is important.
Forget failures and disappointments. We all have them. We've tried things that didn't work but occasionally something works and when it does, it's gratifying.
Finally, have something that you are going to do tomorrow. We must have something that we want to do tomorrow so that we are motivated to get out of bed, shower and pursue the day.
Glenn Mollette is an American syndicated columnist and author.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Don’t wait — be motivated today