I wrote this article for an upcoming Newsletter of the Go Star Power Group.  It is written for real estate agents, but I believe it has relevance for all of us.

On Motivation

By Patrick Vernon Lilly

Motivation is one of those words, like love, with far too many meanings.  The love you have for a child is something very different from the love you have for a mate of 30 years, or a newly found infatuation, or more dramatically, the love expressed in the statement “I just love this house.”

Motivation too runs a wide gamut of meaning.  After returning from a real estate seminar or conference, like the upcoming Star Power Conference, I often hear how motivated the attendees are to return to their work.  We feel rejuvenated, ready to go to work with a zeal which was lacking prior to the conference.  Beneath the word ‘motivation’ is actually a sense of hope:  hope that we can reach our dreams.  Prior to the conference we may have felt lethargic; our goals seemingly out of reach.  From the seminar training, we have new tools, different ways of thinking, proven systems and inspiring stories, to name a few, which make us re-believe that our dreams, our goals, are attainable.  This is hope in its purest essence.  I find it interesting that hope is so closely associated with growth, be it personal, spiritual, psychological or business related.

Inspirational or Motivational Speakers are a classic motivation source.  But are they really motivating you or are they providing you with a new set of eyes?  We all have been moved by the great speakers of our time.  Maybe you heard them at a conference, or a political rally, or at a forum for them alone and you were both moved by what they had to say and how they approached their lives and our world.  I would contend they are creating a new container for you to inhabit:  to dream bigger, to view the world through a different perspective that serves you better, and to widen your possibilities.  In other words, they enable you to expand the box you live in to encompass more.

I often hear that to be successful you must learn to motivate yourself to be disciplined.  I couldn’t disagree more.  To me, being disciplined is doing activities that you do not enjoy or want to participate in and it is a world view that does not work for me.  Instead, I am a big proponent of being very clear what your goals and values are and aligning your actions with those goals/values. 

Let me give you an example:  you want to increase your business by 25%.  In the old paradigm where discipline is respected as a virtue, you realize you must warm call your circle of influence in order to increase your leads which will allow you to increase your overall income.  But you hate warm calling and you force yourself to do it anyway (yeah! for discipline), consequently you spend hours without joy and frankly you do just an average job at warm calling.   

In the alignment of actions with your goals/values paradigm, that warm calling which was once a drudgery can be converted to joy and enthusiasm at best and acceptance at worst, all good things.  When you are clear that you really want to increase your income by 25%, you probably will need to increase your leads by 25% and warm calls, as you know, are the most effective and inexpensive means of lead generation.  Now, when you couple that intention/action with a value you hold high, the result is easy and natural since you are in alignment.  Say you value giving excellent customer service, then prior to calling a specific person from your COI you would determine what is of real value to that client and make the call.  That value might be a market update, or an upcoming zoning change, or possibly inquiring about their family.  The call is made in joy since it is a win/win scenario.  You are providing real value to the client and you will be reaching your goal of increased income through lead generation.  And of equal importance, there will be no suffering on your part.

In my opinion, true motivation is what brings you into action best.  That will vary from person to person and it can be summarized through the DISC personality types:

• D (Driven) - New challenges. Power and authority to take risks and make decisions. Freedom from routine and mundane tasks. Changing environments in which to work and play.
• I (Influence) - Flattery, praise, popularity, and acceptance. A friendly environment. Freedom from many rules and regulations. Other people available to handle details.
• S (Steadiness) - Recognition for loyalty and dependability. Safety and security. No sudden changes in procedure or lifestyle. Activities that can be started and finished.
• C (Compliance) - Standards of high quality. Limited social interaction. Detailed tasks. Logical organization of information.

Your personal motivation may well be a combination of many of these factors or some not listed here.

So, in closing, motivation is hope; and inspiration; and expanding your container; and seeing through new eyes; and the alignment of your actions with your goals and values; and what brings you into action best.  Let me leave you with a few inquiries for you to ponder.  These questions can be relevant for yourself, your team, your company or your family:

• Where does hope reside in your life (team, company, family)?
• What areas of your life would you like to expand your container?
• What current actions/behaviors are out of alignment with your values and goals?
• How clear are you on what brings you into action best? 

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