Thursday, August 12, 2010

Finding my Motivation: Living in the Question


You can go backwards,
You can go back and forth,
You can rest and come back later,
But don’t ever back down.


How do you find motivation? In life, in work, in attaining your dreams?

Are you right now highly Involved, fully Engaged in what you are putting your time, energy, and life blood? Are you ripping off the covers to get out of bed in the morning?

This is something that has been coming up a lot for me this week: (see video blog)

For the past 6 weeks and counting I have been uncharacteristically highly motivated… I wake up early invigorated, invested, cracklin’ to get started. I do my morning health and wellness routine, eat a lite breakfast and then I set out doing whatever building my business calls for: the work, the visioning, the marketing, the critiquing, the billing, the emailing, the strategizing and scheduling.

What is making this month different than in previous months over the last several years of inconsistently following through on my plans and goals to build my business and follow through on a number of creative projects? Does starting something with a lot of flurry and eventually falling flat after 3 weeks sound familiar to you?

I don’t know the answer, but I ask myself: if I did know the answer then… I would say it’s one main thing and a constellation of little impactful things that add up big over the long run.

The little dipper of impactful things is composed of a consistent daily practice of Deep Self care- Cutting out the bullshit- Getting help & -Clearing the decks.

Specifically, I accomplish this through doing & being: eating right, exercising right, replenishing spiritually, connecting authentically with people, doing what’s most scary, tracking my time, following intuition, taking breaks before i need them, acknowledging my wins & what I am grateful for, setting intentions to be of service, asking for help, being held accountable, honoring my commitments, cultivating a sense of compassion throughout the day, and creating work routines. These are little, everyday practices that have helped me transform my relationship with work, minimizing the stress and maximizing the joy I feel throughout my day regardless of the deadlines, breakthroughs or set backs.

This last week was a great example. Everyday I had done my yoga practice before work and come Friday, the day of a big deadline, I had to really focus in and innovate a whole new system for how the client would track expenses and more succinctly measure profitability. I flowed through the work with no body tension and received just enough creative bursts that the project came together just-in-time, practically on its own with no “hard work”. The client was delighted and I remained at ease, in service and in awe with the process and my new levels of creative output and quality of work.

The one main North Star thing that is different in my approach to work and building The Green Bookkeeper Co. is that I am determined to do new things everyday and to do old things in new ways. Said another way I am committed to bringing heightened awareness to what I am doing and discovering new and improved ways of getting my work done. My whole orientation to work has shifted as I notice myself feeling fascinated about my work. It’s a shake up. I am not just going thru the motions- everyday is new and on the brink of another innovative creative explosion.

Ultimately, I notice I am living in the question, instead of living like I already know it all, asking myself: How could this be better? What else is needed to improve the quality and volume of my product and services?

It is exciting going through life curious with passion to learn more and at greater depth about what I am doing. This is a subtle distinction but the effect on my everyday life experience and work experience is astounding.

As a self-employed man with my own company I don’t have the luxury of a boss to keep me in line and light a firecracker under my ass everytime I show up late to my desk & sluff off in my duties. Its up to me and I am choosing to step up to the challenge and head out into new territory, everyday discovering a new piece to the puzzle called The Green Bookkeeeper Co. & the bigger Puzzle called Life.

6 comments:

  1. Wow! I love it! It's JUST what I needed to hear/read this morning! My favorite line is "I notice I am living in the question, instead of living like I already know it all." I could benefit from taking that approach, for sure. Thanks, Tye, for sharing tips for the journey. Keep up the great work!!! :-D

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  2. Hello my wonderful friend
    I loved this blog. You are a big motivation to me and now you will be always close to me, no matter where I am in the world. Thank you for sharing so beautiful your love for life and for us. I love you tons.
    Emilia

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  3. Just like Kristin said Wow! Everything you said is right on track with how I have been feeling. Stopping and starting and only me to kick my ass as I grow my business CPGjobs. I went to bed last night thinking about the structure I need in my life and reading your blog post this morning helps to point the way. Thank you.

    Michael

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  4. Great post Tye! Very motivating and just what I needed to hear. These kinds of messages can never be emphasized enough. Keep up the good work.

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  5. The following SPECIFICALLY got me fired up: "Specifically, I accomplish this through doing & being... replenishing spiritually, connecting authentically with people, doing what’s most scary, tracking my time, following intuition, taking breaks before i need them, acknowledging my wins & what I am grateful for, setting intentions to be of service, asking for help, being held accountable, honoring my commitments, cultivating a sense of compassion throughout the day, and creating work routines." When in this space, I was not surprised to hear that things are flowing effortlessly and easily and that you are in sync with everything and every one. This is so motivating for me. I know this stuff, and yet don't always do it. I love that you've taken it in hand and worked it - thanks for the motivation - as others have said - this was incredible to hear just at the right time! Think i'll go exercise and meditate right now! :)

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  6. Nancy, I like the quote you sent. I think it is right on, Thanks...

    People say, "The joy is in the journey," but they rarely understand what they are saying. You are in this focused time/space reality with goals and objectives that call you because as you identify a desire it literally summons life through you. Life summoning through you is what it's all about, not the completion of anything.

    --- Abraham

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