Motivation & the Bottom of the Box

Motivation is a funny thing. It can be a powerful force in helping us take action. Using its power will bring you great results. Many things motivate us to get organized from imposing deadlines to satisfying someone else’s wishes to preparing for the arrival of houseguests. Being aware of both large and small motivating factors will help you reach your goals.

This is something I encounter not only when working with clients, but also in my own life. Sometimes the goal we are trying to reach is so large, that thinking about that goal and the desired results can actually de-motivate, rather than motivate us into action. While it’s important to keep the big goal or motivating idea in mind, using mini-motivators along the way is essential.

Let’s look at a scenario where you want to sell your home and move? Before that can happen, the cluttered rooms filled with years of accumulation need to be organized and cleared. Even though you have a burning desire to move, it’s not enough yet to bring you to action.

The desired goal seems so large and impossible that it causes inaction. This is often the point when people call for help. They realize that they just can’t accomplish this on their own. If they could have, they would have. The large motivation for moving to a new neighborhood brings them to the next step, which is enlisting help. The help can be from a professional, friend or family member.

Once help arrives, now what? The big picture of moving still exists. Yet, the clutter and things to do are overwhelming you. It’s hard to know where to begin. You feel stuck. Now it’s time to find the mini-motivators. We’re looking for tiny steps that require a less intense level of motivation.

So let’s say we have 30 boxes of papers to sort through. Most of them are old and can probably be recycled, but we still need to look at them to seek out any important ones that might be mixed in. The motivation here becomes emptying a box, not emptying 30 boxes. And when that one box is finished, it propels us forward to begin the next box. The motivation is finding the bottom of the box, all clear, with nothing in it. The small successes will build off one another. They will keep us motivated until we reach the desired goal.

No matter what you are trying to accomplish, don’t underestimate the value of using both large and mini-motivators.

What motivates you to get organized and reach your goals?