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Life Coaching: Motivation: Where Does It Come From?

By Rev. Sandy Jones, a graduate of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts' Associate of Occupational Studies Degree in Mind/Body Transformational Psychology and Life Coaching program.

Where does your motivation come from? Are you motivated by people and events outside of yourself? Or do you find your motivation from within, perhaps from your beliefs and views of life, or perhaps from something deeper within you?

I used to think motivation came from outside my self, and in some ways it does. There are types of motivation that come from external sources. For example, our parents are a source of motivation. They motivate us to do well in school, to clean up our room, and to make good choices. There are many people who motivate and inspire us. They lift us up through kind thoughts, words and actions.

Fear and intimidation may motivate us as well. While certainly this would be considered a negative source of motivation, it is a source indeed. Fear in general can motivate us to get out of a situation that does not serve us, and to move quickly out of danger.

“Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll” are motivators too. They take us out of a space we are in, into another space where we feel motivated to do, be and act differently. While these are not always healthy motivating choices, they do exist. Indeed, there are many diverse sources of motivation which serve divine purposes.

There are motivational seminars too. These are awesome events filled with activities and processes that fill people up with motivation. They fill people with power; with enthusiasm, and visions of infinite possibility. They give them the push they need to get off the dime. I have attended a variety of these, and felt the same way as I left class. I left feeling filled with hope and possibility.

But when I think about motivation, and I consider all the possible sources that are out there, I still feel something is missing. I have been a seeker of motivation from a very early age, and I can now truthfully say I have looked for motivation in all the wrong places. I looked for motivation outside myself. And every time I looked for this magical motivation, I initially felt it, but like a tire with a slow leak, overtime I felt let down. I felt like I was small again. Like an addict, I needed another motivational fix.

I remember a day several years ago, when I was pondering this motivational dysfunction of mine, and it occurred to me that the motivation I was seeking outside of myself only went skin deep. And with this thought, it also occurred to me, that if I wanted motivation to go deeper, I would have to find a way to create it within myself. Without even realizing it, I was being motivated to discover where true motivation comes from. Now how perfect is that?

What I have come to realize in the past 5 years, is that when we send a message up to the ethers, with the power of intention, the answer will be delivered to us through lessons and experiences. With that intention, we embark on a path that will show us what we need to learn. Truly, my path was no star-studded magical and beautiful spiritual experience. My path took me into the deepest and darkest places of my self, so I could learn what I needed to learn and experience what I needed to experience to really get the message that was being delivered to me. After lifting and releasing layer after layer of stories and old stuff, I discovered this:

Motivation comes through the Soul. I had it all along. I was born with it. I just needed to remember.

Each of us has a deep source of motivation that is available anyplace, anytime. If you think you’ve lost yours, look again. You may be surprised to discover, it has always been there. “Seek and you shall find. Ask and you shall receive.”

Where does your motivation come from? Imagine the possibilities of what your life might look and feel like, when your sole motivation comes through your Soul.

Sandy Jones worked as a designer, teacher, software specialist and entrepreneur in the tech industry for 25 years. She recently created Soul Motivations, a ministry devoted to helping people remember. 4480-491-2464 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .