Greetings, friend!
My entire self improvement journey started with motivational videos.
When I first realized I needed to change my life after my rock bottom moment, I ended up, like most, on Youtube.
I didn’t REALLY know in what direction to go.
I had a Twitter account, was talking about fitness and reading books and platitudes.
I just knew I needed to change something.
That lack of direction sent me to Youtube where I watched one specific video over and over again, each day.
It had Will Smith – amongst others – in it who said things like “everything you desire is behind the wall of fear” and other platitudes that work well on Twitter but don’t actually move you forward.
Paired with motivational music and powerful imagery, it is great.
Makes you feel good in those few minutes.
Pumps you up!
Hence it’s no surprise so many of these videos exist and motivational coaches and stuff are a billion dollar business.
Except.
It never made me productive. Ever.
Not once.
Because here is the crux with:
It has the same issue as affirmations.
They are like sugar.
They give you a quick energy spike for a few minutes.
But then you slowly realize that your reality isn’t at all aligning with the themes in the videos.
And you crash down.
HARD.
Especially, if you have no direction at all where to go.
I ended up posting under each of my favorite Twitter gurus to get more followers.
For a few minutes.
But then what?
I ended up watching other Youtube videos that don’t do anything, porn, or mindlessly scrolled Twitter.
Motivation is pointless.
Because here’s the kicker.
If you have a purpose, direction, a mission, you don’t need anything like motivation.
I’m never motivated.
I’m always driven.
Simple example:
Does motivation help you to work harder at your 9-5? Assuming you don’t like it very much, it just pays the bills.
Even a raise. Does it motivate you? Sure. For about a day, maybe a week if we’re gratious.
Then, slowly, the realization comes creeping back in how much you detest this job.
Because those spreadsheets mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of your life.
Or anyone’s life.
So you crash down even harder, because you are paid more, so you “should” work more. But you can’t.
You just can’t get yourself to do so.
Then you feel guilt.
That certainly doesn’t help with getting any work done.
This was my experience.
I did this for almost a year.
Of course, I got a bunch of products out, built a bit of a following, but really, it led nowhere.
And it leads nowhere.
Understand, the motivational videos and coaches, they make money off of you.
Of your pain.
Of not knowing where to go.
It’s not because they’re so selfless to give you motivation because they have your life in mind.
Don’t fool yourself.
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I wholeheartedly agree with Dan Koe who says that we head into a creator future.
Meaning, the future will be driven by personal brands and people building and sharing their own stories (much I like do right now).
Creating their own businesses, etc.
Everyone has a story to tell. Skill to share. Value to offer.
It’s all lost if you don’t know WHAT that is within you.
WHERE you want to go.
I tell you how to find that here.
Motivation won’t get you there.
Purpose does.
Left side is motivation, right side is purpose.
Exactly how my life and business panned out.
With motivation I was doing everything, this and that, the newest get-rich-quick-scheme, doing a new fitness routine here, a new one there.
I went in many directions, but I never ascended.
Self improvement is sometimes ugly.
When you stupidly move in one direction although there are so many shiny things and so many people apparently crushing it way faster than you.
It’s all a lie.
Real, TRUE self improvement takes balls.
To choose one direction (found with purpose) and don’t stray away from it.
But with that determination, with that DRIVE you will eventually end up where you want to go.
THEN, you can still try something else.
If you have the motivation to do so 😉
See you next week,
Alexander
PS: Subliminal Messaging program to help you find your purpose? ASCENSION (for a broader approach) or Revelation of Mind (to go deep, but can be tough)
PPS: This post was an email I sent to my loyal friends, if you want to join (free), go here.
