“Take Steps to Keep Your Own Motivation High”

“Take Steps to Keep Your Own Motivation High”

With his last rule, McGinnis quotes Dr. Harvey Cushing who stated, “Nothing great or new can be done without enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the fly-wheel which carries your saw through the knots in the log. A certain excessiveness seems a necessary element in all greatness” (161).

Although I must now apologize to my environmentalist friends, in the class, whom I just offended with my use of an analogy based on cutting down trees, Cushing has a good point. Whether used for right or wrong, enthusiasm goes a long way in overcoming obstacles and achieving goals. Organizations, which lack enthusiasm rarely, if ever, succeed.

McGinnis asserts, “To be a successful leader of people requires only two things: (1) an astute knowledge of what makes people tick; and (2) a spirit that spreads excitement and energy to other people” (161). One powerful way to “spread excitement and energy” is to (within reason) talk about your dreams or the dreams of the organization. McGinnis believes that most people are afraid to talk about their dreams. Ultimately, They fear judgment and rejection from others. He goes on to explain that if we consistently keep our dreams to ourselves we will probably never fully realize and achieve our desired goals.

In closing, McGinnis recommends using “self renewal as a motivator” (170). He gives five suggestions for renewing oneself.

1. Associate with successful, positive people.
2. Monitor carefully the ideas entering your mind.
3. Take advantage of the wealth of information now available.
4. Attend classes and seminars.
5. Keep a journal in which you write down your goals and record of your spiritual journey.