Wait, isn’t that backwards? Not when it comes to motivation. I must be crazy, right? How can I say you’re motivated by a situation where you have EVERYTHING to lose and NOTHING to gain? Let’s break it down:
Scenario #1: You get to work, have your coffee and get ready to crush the day. Your boss comes to you with a project that would take weeks to complete, but says he needs it tonight. Which one of his next statements would cause an absolute relentless pursuit to make this happen?
· “This will be a big promotion and raise if you get this completed.”
· “You no longer have a job if this isn’t completed.”
Let’s look at another example.
Scenario #2: You pay $200 to enter a weight loss challenge. After you sign the agreement, the gym brings out the fine print:
· If you lose the most weight among all the challengers, you get your money back.
· If you don’t lose the most weight among all the challengers, the gym keeps your $200.
The one that motivates you more is not the first one (where you gain something), it’s the second (where you have something to lose). A raise and promotion can be motivating but not nearly as much as not having a job to be promoted at. Getting your money back is great, not losing money is much better.
But neither one of these situations are real life, right? Man, I hope not. Let’s see how this applies to other areas of your life.
We all want to be the best version of ourselves. No matter if you feel out of shape or like your career is in a rut, improvement is what we strive for. If you’re motivated by what you’ll gain, it can be very difficult to persevere. Also, if you’ve never been passionate about your job or achieved a goal weight, it’s tough to be motivated by something you’ve never experienced. What if we shift that mindset from what you gain to what you lose?
You might not be happy now, but what if you gained more weight? What if you lost the shape you are in now, or your current job situation gets worse? These are the type of thoughts that can make you push intimidation aside and decide it’s time to get started.
The crazy thing is that, if you do make this decision based off what you can lose, you will find you gain what you were originally motivated for.
Don’t want to lose your job? Find a way to bring energy every day and exceed expectations, then opportunities will open up for you. Don’t want to keep spiraling and gain more weight? Start moving and making healthy food choices, then you will progress towards the healthy life you’ve dreamed of. Don’t want to be out of breath just walking up a flight of stairs? Set goals, document your progress and watch your strength and fitness go through the roof.
I believe people have more inside of them than they ever thought possible. You just have to let that person out. Look in the mirror, that is your competition. Wake up, focus forward and crush it EVERY. DAMN. DAY.