Thursday, May 15, 2008

Inspiration vs. Motivation

Do you need to motivate yourself to exercise? Eat well? Do your taxes? Clean your house? Find a new job? Get out and date? What if, instead you were inspired to do so? How does that feel?

I like Wayne Dyer’s distinction between inspiration and motivation. He says that motivation comes from a negative impetus; you want to do something so something negative won’t happen. (“I want to exercise so I don’t get fat.”) Inspiration comes from a positive impetus; you want to do something so something positive will happen. (“I want to exercise so I feel energy and vibrancy.”) When we are negatively motivated, it takes will-power to overcome the negative energy to get going. When we are positively inspired, we can’t wait to jump out of bed to do what we want to do.

How else can you think of it? Are you wanting something out of fear or love? Think about it in your own life. Not only does coming from love and inspiration feel better, the Universe will work with you to help you create what you want. When you come from fear, you are inviting whatever you fear into your life.

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