What Motivates You?

Dictionary.com defines motivation as the desire to do; interest or drive.  Merriam-Websters dictionary defines motivation as a motivating force, stimulus or influence.  The M.I.D.A project defines motivation as your purpose for taking action towards personal or professional growth.

My motivation used to be a better life for me; however, my motivation now is a better future for my children.  I want them to wake up and never wonder why they weren’t provided every advantage available to them.  We have created our own family affirmation of which we use to keep us focused on the end result, this family jingle is different for each child but essentially the same.  Here it is – my teenager will be a millionaire by the age of 30 and my 2-year-old will be a billionaire by that same age.

Together, she and I chose the age of 30 because at 16 years of age, she is already an entrepreneur with her own line of natural bath and body products.  Thus as she continues on this path, this experience of running a business while increasing her education will help her make her first million by 30.  Our two-year old looks up to her and as a result, he will have a positive example of how to turn a million into a billion.  But of course, this goal will not come to fruition if we (the parents) don’t demonstrate how to stick to goals until they are achieved.

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” Thomas Jefferson

I am teaching my children to not waste time on figuring out who they are.  I tell them they are children who will become millionaires and billionaires because they will always achieve one goal then create another.  Create goal, achieve goal, create another goal.  Create goal, achieve goal, create another goal.    For now this three-step process is working for us.  But as we know, in life we grow and we change.  So will this process but until then we will keep working at it.

Their motivation is the achievement of their goal.  My motivation is my children’s future and my passion for helping others.  What’s your motivation?  What is it that drives you to want to do more?  What makes you want to be more than you are?

Need a little help identifying your motivation?  Have a listen to a song that always keeps me going, Shine by Laura Izibor.