1. Motivation
There is a huge disparity between the motivation levels of a mediocre
person and a successful person. In all honesty, a mediocre person has
sagging confidence levels, a bare minimum of positive energy, and an
inferiority complex; in contrast, a successful person who is driven and
motivated is indefatigable, a stickler for efficiency, and is always exploring
avenues for personal growth. For instance, compare an athlete who lacks
motivation and barely spends any time training, and an athlete who is highly
motivated and trains harder than anyone else. One will have a below-average
career record, and the other will have an ever-rising career record. In all
fairness, if motivation is absent, you do not have the remotest prospect of
achieving success.
I cannot think of a more appropriate term to describe my learning
curve, which is on a steep, upwardly mobile curve, than motivation.
Basically, I am a self-motivated person. I am always full of energy and do
not feel bored working for long hours. Motivation gets my competitive
juices flowing. Being the person I am, I do not feel the need for someone to
buck me up during my moments of struggle. Motivation has helped me to
live my dream. It gives me a kick to turn in near-perfect performances. For
me, motivation tops the list of a person’s positive qualities. I owe a million
thanks to my superb motivation level. Patently, I consider myself lucky (no
hyperbole intended!).
There are two kinds of people in our world: those who spend their
lives waiting for something to happen, and those who make things happen.
Where do you fit in? Would you like to make things happen, but you don’t
know how? The answer is simple: motivation.
Motivation comes from the word “motivate,” which is defined as “stir to
action.” Motivation is a singular, driving force to achieve a desired result. It
propels a person to give his best shot. Employers use praise and financial
rewards to inspire their employees. Politicians give mesmerizing speeches to
increase their votes. Parents rely on words of encouragement to ignite the
spark in their child’s mind. Motivation is gleefully married to success (you
need motivation at the beginning, at the middle, and at the end on your path
to success). They hit it off well in their relationship.

2. Motivating factors include: respect, power, philanthropy, wealth,
creativity, ideas, health, achievement, growth, inner peace, and a joyful life.
However, these factors vary from person to person. Such factors are neither
age specific nor gender specific. They are simply case specific. According to
various experts, these factors depend on the needs that have to be fulfilled
and the desires one wishes to accomplish or gain. Motivation, like
intelligence, can’t be directly observed. Instead, motivation can only be
inferred by noting a person’s behavior.
Apparently, you need cutting-edge skills, ruthless thinking, common
sense, articulateness, and punctuality, but if you don’t have motivation, you
won’t go far in life. Think about this comparison. You have a car with a full
tank of gas, a superbly designed engine, an excellent set of tires, a
quadraphonic sound system, a GPS system, pneumatic brakes, and a glossy
exterior. There it sits. This car has tremendous potential. But if there is no
driver or if the driver does not put the key in the ignition and start the
engine, the car won’t travel an inch. You guessed right: motivation is the
driver that makes the human engine move.
Infusion of confidence-building thought
In a T20 cricket match, Team A won the toss and chose to field first.
From the very first over, it was raining fours and sixes for Team B. The
opening partnership yielded 130 runs of a mere 80 balls. Three batsmen in
Team B’s batting line-up scored quick-fire 50’s. As a result, Team B set an
imposing target of 230 runs. During the break, the coach of Team A decided
not to do a post-mortem of his players’ performance, but instead said,
“Guys, I am confident that we are more than capable of chasing down this
target and winning the match hands down.” His timely, appropriate, and
inspiring words were the perfect shot in the arm for the team. The final score
of the match read: Team A beat Team B by 7 wickets in 17 overs. Quite a
convincing victory indeed!
Such is the nature of life. When we feel that good times are just
around the corner, we tingle all over with joy. When we fear we are going to
lose, we are sucked into the depths of despair. Hence, motivation is
necessary to deal with both happy and depressing moments.

3. Keep renewing your “motivational bank account”
Freddy, wearing a turtleneck sweater to hide his turkey neck, was flying
from Chicago to Phoenix to attend a motivational seminar. The venue was
within a 10-mile radius of the airport. The event was scheduled to start at 6
p.m. At 6:15 p.m., the motivational speaker appeared on stage. A shiver of
excitement ran through the audience. After keeping his eyes glued to speaker
during his two-hour-long talk about motivation and positive thinking,
Freddy got pumped up and began thinking positive thoughts. Within four
days, these feelings started to wear off; however, until he was back to the
motivation level he was at before he had listened to the speaker. This is what
I call “back to square one, or returning to ground zero.”
The negative aspect of motivation: it is short-lived. For this serious
reason, we have to continually motivate ourselves.
When you take a bath, you cannot rid yourself of bodily impurities
forever. You have to take regular baths to be hygienic. Also, occasional
exercise does not strengthen your muscles. You have to exercise consistently
to maintain excellent fitness levels.
The formula for real motivation
Motivation is at its peak, when you have:
(1) A mental picture: Before starting out on the journey of success, you
must have a clear mental picture. It will help you to take actions that
will send you in the right direction.
(2) A burning desire: There should be fire burning inside your belly to get
what you want.
(3) Dogged determination: It helps you to endure even in the face of
adversity.
(4) Laser-sharp focus: The following acronym explains everything
F – Follow
O – One

4. C – Course
U – Until
S – Successful
(5) Immense faith: When you keep faith in your abilities, you can
literally move mountains, i.e., any impossible dream can be converted into
reality.
Writing—my driving force
When I was doing the research for this book, I often burned the
midnight oil. I had several cups of espresso and some Red Bull energy
drinks during the process. Sometimes, I ate a whole slab of chocolate with
my drinks. I used to sit on an ergonomic chair and keep my fingers busily
typing on the laptop. Never once did I show disinterest or run out of steam.
My love affair with writing never ends. I got a new high whenever I sat
down to express myself with words. “Writing” fortified me during my crisis
moments. It helped me to shoo away negative thoughts. Without it, my life
would be a vacuum. Today, those near and dear to me are happily surprised
to see the major changes in me. They gush with excitement over my new
incarnation.
What has my self-motivated aunt (she is a breast cancer survivor. She
has undergone a double mastectomy.) taught me?
Note: These ideas are not only beneficial to me but to people in all corners
of the world.
(1) Difficulties should stiffen your resolve to succeed.
(2) Push yourself harder to succeed.
(3) Always give yourself pep talks and think win-win.
(4) Tap your inner potential.
(5) The shaping of your life is not in the hands of God but lies in you.
(6) Have a healthy body and an incisive mind.

5. (7) Be an action-oriented person to convert your dreams into reality.
(8) Be patient with the existing circumstances.
Emulating and imitating
Every person wants to follow in the footsteps of an inspirational
person. He tries to emulate that person. However, there is a big distinction
between absorbing good qualities from somebody and copying that person
wholesale. A person of naked ambition learns from others. He incorporates
those lessons into his actions. On the flip side, a person who patterns himself
after somebody lacks self-confidence up front. Imitation can yield
advantageous results only when it is smartly done and has an original flavor.
It has to last a long time. Only then we can forge ahead.
Plain imitation does not guarantee success. Others can only inspire us.
But the hard work is ours. The message is simple: a vulture cannot be a lion
by merely imitating it.
I know a flaky 14-year-old girl who is in puppy love with Elvis
Presley, who occupies her entire being. Every inch of her bedroom wall is
covered with his photos. She brings a three-layer cake, covered in a beautiful
rich ganache, every year on his birthday. Being a huge Elvis fan, she thinks
that any criticism of him is blasphemy. This celebrity is the force around
which her life revolves. I just thought about Anna Nicole Smith, who spent
her entire life impersonating Marilyn Monroe, and the sad thing is that she
ended up dying like her.
Are you motivated positively or negatively?
Let me allude to the story of two guys who were biological brothers (but the
similarity ends there. They were not cut from the same cloth.). One was an
“awful thug.” He was on the Interpol radar for the last several years. The
other was a dutiful FBI agent. He was a soft-spoken gentleman. How on
earth could two brothers related through the same blood be such a contrast to
each other?

6. The first brother was asked, “Why have you gotten into this? You are
a threat to society, and cops are after you. What spurs you on?” The first
brother replied, “My dad. My dad used to be an incorrigible criminal. He
committed bestial crimes (he was charged with eight counts of first-degree
murder and a single count of felony assault of a law enforcement officer.
Apart from this, he was also responsible for many beheadings and rapes.).
He had the morals of a junkyard dog. I just followed in his footsteps and
became what I am today.”
The second brother was asked, “What makes you successful in life?
Reveal the ‘motivation magic’ behind your outstanding achievements.” The
second brother answered, “My dad. In my earliest childhood, I came to
know about the faulty, dangerous mentality of my father. I made a firm,
conscious decision to become a morally correct and respected person.”
Two people. Same source of motivation. Different ways of
approaching it.
Gory issue (like a slasher movie)
Moises had no latitude to spread his wings during his childhood
days. He was born in a country that has been waging 16 years of continuous
war, resulting in a disproportionate number of blood-spattered young faces,
glazed eyes, and small, limp bodies. There are 1.2 million people displaced
from their homes in his country, about half a million living in refugee camps
in neighboring countries, and 1 million in need of emergency food assistance
within his country. The local military junta (a paper tiger) is spending lots of
money on weapons. Not only this, it has even asked the young people to join
the military and help the authorities in liquidating the enemy. Moises, whose
natural feelings are opposed to war, will learn to listen to the voices of
“authority” instead of to his own feelings, however. This complete
indoctrination causes him to imagine his future as one in which he is
wearing a military uniform and fighting for his country as a true-blue patriot.
Admire the person you are
Many of us are under the impression that we are not endowed with any
good qualities whatsoever. We spend large chunks of time underestimating
and undermining our personal strengths. In the name of a reality check, we

7. tend to give excess attention to our shortcomings. Yet by doing this, we are
letting ourselves down. We are taking away our chances of succeeding.
How can you open up to people if you are afflicted with self-
doubt? In what way can you impress people if you find yourself
uninteresting? How can you expect people to like you when you are a
hardcore self-critic? By no means can this kind of mentality bring the
desired results.
If you take a dim view of your traits, the chances are that others too
will see no good qualities in you. To make others appreciate your
personality, project yourself in the best possible manner. Be self-caring,
support yourself, and be your own best friend.
Don’t judge yourself by what others think of you. Not everybody will
be comfortable in your company. That is their problem and not yours. Every
person has his own charm, uniqueness, and mental wavelength. Never fall
into the trap of beating up on yourself just because someone has serious
issues with you.
If someone tends to hate you, there could be a laundry list of
reasons for it. That person may be envious, insecure, introverted, or suffer
from an inferiority complex. Also, there might be no psychological
connection between you and that person. It is no surprise, then, that you
cannot get along well in the relationship.
Don’t take your weaknesses too seriously. It kills the feel-good
factor about yourself. After all, everybody has his share of weaknesses.
Concentrate on your positive points. Learn to bring out the best in yourself.
Self-motivate and pat yourself on the back. Respect your potential and pride
yourself on your accomplishments. Nobody can be as good as you can be to
yourself. Only you have that “exclusive right.”
Sample: “Hey, come on, I hold an edge over most people in
terms of ability, attitude, and intelligence. What if I have a handful chinks in
my armor? It’s ok. After all, nobody is picture perfect. I’ll keep improving
with time. My calm and unruffled self-assurance will pay off.”
Lowdown about 7 role models from the animal kingdom

8. (1) Puffin
One day while I was enjoying an idyllic vacation (to declutter my
mental file cabinet) in a beach cottage, I read an excerpt from a book on
puffins, and it whetted my appetite. Puffins are sea birds that lay their eggs
on cliffs so that their eggs will not be eaten by predators. But when their
babies incubate, the parents get ready for an odyssey to the beach. When the
time arises to follow their parents, the babies jump from an astonishing
height, many of them making it safely to the beach.
(2) Dog
The fact that dogs forge extraordinary bonds with their human
masters enjoys a wide currency even to this day. There are a number of
occasions when dogs put their lives in danger to save somebody, ennobling
their nature in the minds of humans. There is an often-stated platitude: “A
dog is man’s best friend.” A dog never does disservice to its master. Dog
owners have always been extravagant in their praise of their dogs.
(3) Wolf
Wolves are famous for their physical strength and toughness. They
fiercely attack their prey. But a wolf knows that hunting in droves is the sine
qua non for a bigger lunch. When hunting together, wolves can even kill a
500-pound moose, which is 10 times bigger than any of them and capable of
putting up a strong fight.
(4) Elephant
Elephants are known to live in herds, with an elder female at the head
of the group. The infants are nurtured together with almost no special
treatment, and if one of them injures his or her leg, for instance, the entire
herd will walk slower for the sake of the injured one’s well-being (without
any objections). Showing tender loving care is emblematic of their good
nature. Elephants are carriers of compassion and warmth.
(5) Salmon

9. Salmon travel thousands and thousands of miles to reach the rivers in
which they started their lives. Most of them do not reach their goal, but those
who do provide their progeny with the opportunity to embark on the same
journey.
(6) Golden-fronted Bowerbird
The most notable characteristic of bowerbirds is the extraordinarily
complex behavior of the males, which is to build a bower to attract mates.
Every male builds some kind of presentation tent where he places a variety
of objects he has collected. These objects—usually strikingly blue in hue—
may include hundreds of shells, leaves, flowers, feathers, stones, berries, and
even discarded plastic items or pieces of glass. The bird spends hours
carefully sorting and arranging his collection, with each object in a specific
place; if an object is moved while the bowerbird is away, he will put it back
in its place. At mating time, the female will go from bower to bower,
watching as the male owner conducts an often elaborate mating ritual and
inspecting the quality of the bower.
(7) Albatross
The life span of albatross is about 50 years, which is quite extraordinary
for a bird. But what is even more interesting is the reality that these birds are
monogamous, which made them a symbol for sailors traveling in far-off
a re a s .
Animals behave the way their instinct and senses tell them to
behave, and they still prove to be outstanding role models. Finding the
right value in them and using it in real life is what makes people
remarkable.
How personality types can affect the degree of motivation
Go-getter individuals: They have iron-willed determination by means of
which they achieve their high goals in life. Hard work comes as naturally to
them as snoring. “Never get stuck, but move on” is their tagline. On the
highway of life, they are going fast. They do not compromise on their
efforts. Fears and anxieties do not disrupt their carefree moments. They are a
fountain of goodness from which many draw their inspiration for life.

10. Laid-back individuals: They are incapable of withstanding the rigors of
certain situations. Their concentration span is very minimal. Lack of
discipline is one of their major negative qualities. Their energy fades
quickly. They are not consistent performers. All these factors extinguish
their hopes of gaining the big prizes in life. In their lives, the ratio of losing
moments to winning moments is greater.
Since early in his childhood, Lonnie was an “I want to make a big name
for myself” type of individual. On the other hand, Perry was a lazy guy.
Turning the wheel of life, 25 years from that time, let’s see where they now
are (in life): Lonnie has built a first-class, cutting-edge hospital in
Vancouver. He enjoys a lot of financial clout. Perry works as a small-time
garage mechanic. He always has a melancholy look on his face.
Motivation vs. inspiration
To illustrate the difference, I will make a comparison of two ways to
mow your lawn. Motivation is similar to using a push mower. To motivate
the lawnmower, you have to get behind it and push. The moment you stop
pushing, the lawnmower ceases to move. To make it move again, you must
push again. Eventually, the lawn is mown and looks in tip-top shape, but you
suffer from excruciating tiredness and are not inclined to do this activity
again in the near future.
Inspiration is similar to using a self-propelled lawn mower. The lawn
mower is fully aware of its job and it is self-propelled, so you can complete
the task easily. Ultimately, the lawn is mowed and looks awesome. You
can’t stop yourself from saying, “Whee! This is so very easy. It never gets to
me.” The idea of cutting your grass is no longer incapacitating.
Motivating your workers is a 24x7x365 job, in which you must act
like a “force” to guide them. The moment you step away from this job, they
become feeble. By inspiring other people, you awaken their sleeping giant
and, chances are, they propel themselves to achieve a goal.
Motivation is a good fodder for:
( I) Career goals

11. (1) Giving a sterling performance at work.
(2) Revamping your skills so that your career train is chugging along the
tracks smoothly.
( II) Financial goals
(1) Building a nest egg by regular investment of small amounts of money.
(2) Putting in superhuman efforts to earn more.
(III) Health and fitness goals
(1) Becoming a fitness freak.
(2) Listening to Jane Fonda workout tapes.
(IV) Family and religious goals
(1) Giving number one priority to filial piety.
(2) Reciting the rosary before dinner with your family.
(V) Social goals
(1) Mingle more.
(2) Developing healthy relationships.
Motivation quiz
(1) Do you sink to any level to make money?
(a) Yes (b) No

12. (2) Complacency inflicts telling damage on motivation.
(a) Yes (b) No
(3) Are you a spent force?
(a) Yes (b) No
(4) Self-motivation is the central nervous system of success.
(a) Yes (b) No
(5) Do you feel depressed when your “quality efforts” go unsung?
(a) Yes (b) No
(6) Are you an atheist?
(a) Yes (b) No
(7) Are successful people the brand ambassadors of motivation?
(a) Yes (b) No
(8) Can you rise from the rubble and come out firing on all cylinders?
(a) Yes (b) No
(9) You have to wake up from a torpor to become motivated.
(a) Yes (b) No
(10) Success requires abiding motivation.
(a) Yes (b) No
Conclusion: There is a “convenient theory” in our action-taking. We
perform actions that we feel are convenient, and don’t do those that aren’t
convenient to us. I treat it as a bald-faced lie when someone says, “I am an

13. unmotivated person.” Inside every one of us lies an enormous motivational
potential just waiting to be unleashed. Although the motives behind our
actions (or nonaction, as the case may be) are not always evident to other
people, every choice we make is motivated by something!