Motivational Minute
February 14, 2000.
Hello
Friends!
Here is a message of POWER and PASSION to get your week started with
ENTHUSIASM!
Please feel free to share it with your friends and associates.
Are you motivated or overwhelmed? You might be puzzled by that question
but stop a minute to think about it. The great Michelangelo, painter of
the Sistine Chapel, sculptor of the statue of David and architect of the
dome on St. Peter's Basilica understood what this question truly asks.
He said,
"Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can
accomplish." With this quote I believe Michelangelo was talking
about the importance of always pushing yourself to new plateaus
of achievement. Living this life philosophy would never allow your
talent to stagnate. So he was motivated to give his best effort but I
don't think he ever felt overwhelmed with his responsibilities.
The reason for this is because, from studying history, I do not believe
he meant that you should never be satisfied with what you have been able
to achieve up to this point in your life.
When you are motivated you want to achieve and continue to develop in
all areas of your life. You feel confident of where you have been, where
you are now and where you ultimately want to go in life. Instead of
feeling rushed you feel excited.
Instead of feeling stressed you feel alive. A motivated person, like
Michelangelo was, feels a healthy sense of satisfaction with past
achievement and a properly balanced level of anticipation
toward future accomplishment.
On the contrary, a person who is overwhelmed with responsibility has
little joy - even in performing their job well. They are always looking
forward to the next thing on the list and lose the ability to be truly
"in the moment" when it comes to enjoying past success and
being enthusiastic about the future.
Many people who are outwardly successful, and who would be considered by
many to be "motivated", are actually "overwhelmed".
So what is the key to feeling good about all aspects of your past,
present and future? That is a multi-faceted question that could
be answered in many ways. Yet for our discussion right now we can say
that one way is to try taking Michelangelo's advice. Always reach for
more than what you might accomplish - but, just as importantly, never
forget to give yourself the credit you deserve for what you have already
been able to accomplish.
Being motivated makes your life exciting and challenging. Being
overwhelmed makes your life a rat race with little satisfaction for a
job well done.
Choose to be motivated. Learn to control the pace at which you work and
live and you might find yourself experiencing more joy than ever.
Have a tremendous week!
LAUGH-A-DAY
A friend shared some of the newest politically
correct phrases for modern teenagers.
Remember that:
No one fails a class anymore, they're merely "passing
impaired".
You don't have detention, you're just one of the "exit
delayed".
Your bedroom isn't cluttered, it's just "passage restricted".
These days a student isn't lazy. He's just "energetically
declined".
QUOTE-OF-THE-DAY
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we
look
so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been
opened for us."
- Helen Keller
BE YOUR BEST!
Michael L. Stahl
speaker, author, trainer
www.michaelstahl.com
(407) 855-2476
"Helping organizations and individuals to 'Focus Your Power' for
maximum productivity and workplace enthusiasm."
Keynote speeches and seminars with the perfect blend of content,
enthusiasm and entertainment.
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