Motivational (Tues)day (Or "What I Should Possess...But Don't")

In college, I was a part of this leadership society on campus. I went to the required meetings and video lectures in order to obtain membership. I could have gotten honor cords at graduation...but I was too lazy and/or cheap to purchase them. At any rate, every Monday, this society would send out an e-mail titled "Motivational Mondays." It would be a snippet of something to motivate or encourage us throughout the day.

I suppose this is less of a "Motivational (Tues)day" than those e-mails were, though. I'm writing today wondering exactly what has happened to motivation in our society. Or really, what has happened to motivation in my life? Do you remember when you were a child, how you'd get a puzzle and sit on the floor, cross-legged and biting your tongue, just because you were determined to finish? Sometimes I wonder what happened to those children - do they still exist within us? Or have we simply "outgrown" motivation?

I tend to learn towards the belief that it's not that we, as individuals, are unmotivated. I think that our lack of drive and dedication stems from the instant society in which we live. When commercials display the latest "high-speed" Internet connection, or microwavable dinners declare that they now "cook in less time"... I tend to wonder exactly what our lives have become. Have we substituted instant gratification for actual long-term benefits?

And this is why I think so many of us struggle with being motivated - why there are literally sections of bookstores devoted to self-help agendas. Patience and motivation go hand-in-hand: you cannot be motivated if you expect that benefits will automatically follow. You will only end up disappointed and bitter. Instead, motivation should stem from patience - we should have motivation because we know that we may not see our gain for a long period of time, but that it will be worth our effort when we do. And really, that's what motivation requires - effort. No one will sit beside your bed and encourage you to wake up every morning. Motivation is knowing that the path is rough, but that there is something worth getting to.

So strive to be motivated, in whatever you do in life. Work at it, because with an instant gratification mentality like our society dictates, it will not be easy. But it will be worth it.