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Kindling Desire

I woke up this morning wondering: "Is it worth it?" 
The answer I got was: "I don't know."

The human mind is driven to answer questions. And I have found that people can inhibit their motivation with questions just like this one. It demands a yes or no, black and white answer, while most of the world operates on a wide spectrum of Technicolor. It also presupposes that we may or may not desire a given person, place, activity, knowledge or thing. And without desire or fear, there can be little motivation.

The secret to resolving this dilemma is to stick the word "how" in front of these yes/no questions: "How is it worth it?" This points your mind toward what you value and desire, and encourages the mind to develop a step-by-step approach to achieving it.

Think About
" a personal or professional relationship you'd like; ask yourself: How is it worth it?
" a place you'd like to live or visit: How is it worth it?
" an activity you'd like to do or an experience you'd like to have: How is it worth it?
" something you'd like to learn: How is it worth it?
" something you'd like to get or have-home, car, etc.: How is it worth it?
" How do you deserve it?
Notice how inserting this one word can change your thoughts, feelings, and answers to this question. If gives you a direction to pursue.

Time Shifting
Next, it's useful to check out your desire at various points in time using words like "after," "before," "until", and "while:"
After I've (gotten or done) it, how was it worth it?
Before I've (gotten or done) it, how will it be worth it?
While I'm (getting or doing) it, how is it worth it?
Until I've (gotten or done) it, how is it worth it?
This helps spread the benefit out over the entire process, not just the result. It's easier to get motivated if the journey is part of the reward.

Consequences
Then, it's also useful to check out the consequences of not doing or getting:
What will happen if I don't do it or get it? What will I lose? What will I miss out on? What will I regret later? What will I have remorse about? 
For about half the population, the fear of missing out on something is far more motivating than the promise of accomplishing a goal.

Other Limiting Questions
The same holds true for other limiting beliefs and their questions:
"Am I responsible?" or "Who's responsible?" Ask: How am I responsible? 
"Am I worthy?" Ask: How am I worthy? Until I've done it, how am I worthy?

People often ask me about the process of writing a book, but they aren't sure they're worthy of being an author. They question their authority before they even start. Don't let self-doubt stop you: Before you've done it, how are you worthy? 
Everyone has genius, the trick is to let yours out.

Business Applications
I hear the same kinds of yes/no questions in business meetings: Is it worth it? Can we do it? Who's responsible? Just stick the word "how" in front of these questions to generate a more productive conversation:
How is it worth it?
How can we do it?
How are we responsible?

So rekindle your desire by changing your questions using "how?" Or you may find that you simply don't have any motivation, toward or away. In which case, you may need to find something else to occupy your time, because this just isn't it.

Have fun exploring your motivation.

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