MOTIVATION vs INSPIRATION

Today I answered a question on LinkedIn.com of a person who asked, "What do you do to recharge your battery and remotivate yourself when experiencing sales activity burnout?"

I was inspired to write the following:

First of all . . . forget about motivation. Motivation is an external stimulus that I liken to taking a bath. One needs to do bathe often and sometime more than once a day. Without bathing, one begins to stink and without motivation, one’s life begins to stink.

If we experience “sales activity burnout,” it’s time to look inward and ask, “What are my feelings about what I am selling?” This question points to our internal compass that directs our thoughts about what we do in life. I call this inspiration rather than motivation.

Inspiration is an internal process that we can tap into at any time with a simple question, “How am I feeling?” If we are feeling good or positive (I call this place “love”) are thoughts are going to be good. If we are not having positive or good thoughts, our feeling are not good or negative (I call the place “fear”).

These two places or feelings, “love” and “fear”, are absolute opposites (negative and positive) and each leads directly to thoughts. Scientifically speaking, it has been proven that our feelings occur 40,000 times faster than do our thoughts. If our feelings our negative, our thoughts will be negative, our words will be negative and our actions will follow suit.

So, if you’re thinkin is stinkin, ask yourself, “How am I feeling and what are those positive feelings I have when I’m really pumped about what I am selling.” Also, ask yourself, “What is causing me to fear.” When you identify the fear, change the way you think about it and your words and actions will follow.

I call this process thinking with your heart (the source of your feelings) and not your mind. One might also refer to one’s heart as one’s soul and/or spirit. I believe that one’s soul and/or spirit can only want what is best for one’s life. Our egos, as a function of our minds, will often trick us into using words and acting in ways that are not in keeping with our souls and can only come from a place of fear. This is an instinctive act of self-preservation because only our souls know what potential wants to have happen in our lives.

So next time you feel “burnt out on the sales process,” get out of your head and ask your heart, “what potential do you want to have happen today?” Then stop, and listen for an answer. Your soul, your spirit will give you the answer. That’s when you are thinking from the heart . . . when you are thinking “in spirit” which is what inspiration is all about according to Dr. Wayne W. Dyer in his book, Inspiration; Your Ultimate Calling. Another outstanding book to read that addresses this topic is Steve Chandler’s book, Fearless; Creating the Courage to Change the Things You Can.