Dr. Sharon L. Bender
July, 2006
Motivational Philosophies
Pieces,
patterns,
and
pictures
are
formulated
when we
measure
the
past,
observe
the
present,
and
imagine
the
potential.
These
quantitative,
qualitative,
and
quasitative
parameters
enable
us to do
our own
self-motivational
speaking.
The
saying,
“What
the mind
believes,
the body
achieves,”
has been
repackaged
through
the
philosophy
of
acclaimed
motivational
speakers,
like
Tony
Robbins,
in their
visualization
mantra.
Supposedly,
we can
change
or
control
our
thinking
and
outcomes
by using
this
technique
for
seeing
ourselves
accomplishing
the task
at hand.
Frankly,
developing
the
“five-year
plan”
works
just as
well,
provided
we “plan
our work
and work
our
plan”
sufficiently.
Another
handy
approach
I’ve
used
over the
years,
garnered
from the
likes of
Zig
Zigler,
is
realizing
the
beneficial
use of
the
term,
“enthusiasm.”
Note
that the
last
four
letters
of this
motivational
word is
“iasm.”
IASM is
an
acronym
for “I
am sold
myself.”
This is
where
the
self-motivational
speaker
comes
onto the
stage in
our
lifelong
success.
The role
it plays
is
imperative.
Selling
ourselves
is the
key to
unlocking
success.
The
problem
is that
long
after
we’ve
been
so-called
motivated
by a
professional
and
powerful
speaker,
we
return
to our
old
selves
again.
We
revert
to
whatever
comes
natural
to us.
If we
don’t
practice
what
they’ve
preached,
all is
lost and
we may
as well
have sat
in the
bleachers
to an
empty
stadium
for the
hour or
two we
invested
in
attending
the
lecture.
We must
remember
to feel,
think,
and do
what we
learn,
provided
it makes
sense
for each
of us
individually.
What we
learn
can be
garnered
in a
variety
of ways.
Our
personal
experience
tells us
nearly
all we
need to
know
about
our wins
and
losses
in life,
but it
can take
a
lifetime
to
finally
“get
it.”
Spending
a fair
amount
of time
becoming
exposed
to what
the
various
motivational
speakers
and
self-help
books,
tapes,
and
videos
have to
offer is
often a
worthy
investment
to begin
our own
mind
control
journey.
Why let
others
take
control
of our
thinking?
Aren’t
we able
to think
for
ourselves?
The
answer
is
often,
no. This
is a
reason
why so
many
humans
around
the
globe
permit
mind
control
at the
hands
and
mouths
of
others.
It can
remove
us from
the
responsibility
equation.
Personally,
I’d
rather
think
that “if
it is to
be, it’s
up to
me.” We
are who
will
become
blamed
for our
actions
(wrongly
or
rightly)
and no
higher
power.
Why,
then is
it not
taken
upon
ourselves
to
examine
our own
behavior
and
discuss
with
ourselves
our own
form of
correctional
motivation?
What
motivates
one
individual
may not
be what
motivates
another.
Dr.
Stephen
Covey’s
habit to
“begin
with the
end in
mind”
may
sound
better
to us
than
Tony
Robbins
asking
us to
create a
“compelling
future”
by
imagining
the end
result.
They
mean the
same
thing
essentially.
The
“five-year
plan” is
another
rendition.
In any
case, we
can
generate
our own
“enthusiasm.”
Remember
that
word? I
am sold
myself?
We just
need to
get a
picture
formulated
about
our
potential.
From
that
point,
we can
perform
the
visualization
act.
Personally,
I
believe
that in
order to
understand
the
“end-game”
philosophy
we must
“measure
the
past,
observe
the
present,
and
imagine
the
potential.”
Tony
Robbins
tells us
that the
past
does not
equal
the
future.
Well, in
some
respects
it does.
If we
are able
to
carefully
weigh
the
past,
make
changes
in the
present,
we will
indeed
be able
to
affect
the
potential.
In this
instance
there is
an
equation
in the
past and
the
present
equaling
the
potential.
In this
respect,
the past
therefore
does
indeed
equal
the
future.
We can
apply
any of
these
philosophies.
They
nearly
all are
telling
us the
same
thing.
Simply
put, we
can
formulate
a
picture
of where
we’d
like to
be in a
few
short
years.
The
image
must be
developed
with
great
clarity,
the
pieces
and
patterns
to the
picture
help us
to
visualize
the
past,
present,
and
potential
that is
unique
to each
of us.
The
“potential”
picture
is based
on the
pieces
of our
lives
from the
“past”
and a
pattern
we’ve
formulated
to the
“present.”
It is
not
helpful
to
pretend
away our
history.
We can
use that
to make
the
necessary
adjustments
today
that
will
help us
to
become
featured
in the
picture
we’ve
formulated.
Once we
have the
terminology
that
works
best for
us, the
picture
will
come
into
focus
and we
are
ready to
begin
self-motivating.
We don’t
need
another
lecture
to do
that.
There is
truly a
self
motivational
speaker
and
coach in
all of
us.
