I’m in search of some motivation today. I’m having a hard time getting to the projects that are awaiting my attention. As I go looking for it I can’t help but think about how often we underestimate the value of motivation. And how even more often we use the wrong kind.

Have you ever noticed how often we use negative motivation to influence ourselves, others, teach, or encourage something to go the way we want? Guilt is one that comes immediately to mind. I see this a lot, especially where important principles of productivity, compassion and service are involved. Instead of helping someone grasp how wonderful these things are, making them so desirable that it becomes only natural to work for it, we use guilt to make them feel bad. As a parent I catch myself giving my kids all the terrible consequences as reasons for them to not make certain choices. By contrast, the adversary paints a glamorous picture of all the wonderful (all be-it often short-sided, incomplete or complete fraudulent) reasons. Is it any wonder why it’s so hard to choose good over evil? So hard to be anxiously engaged in good things?

As I sit here thinking, I realize one thing I often do and how much it helps. I find myself picturing the desired result or finished product in my head for any task or project. Sometimes I need to picture that to find enough motivation to dig into something. Now what I need to master is channeling all this into not just beginning but finishing other projects. You know, those projects that aren’t critical like doing the dishes. The ones that hide in forgotten files, boxes and books. It’s about time to blow some dust off the many photo projects, scrapbooks, scanning, etc. that have been started but not completed.

So what do you do to keep yourself going? How do you stay on task?

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