"You can do it" motivates people to take action towards a goal. "You can't do it" also motivates many people to prove them wrong and drive them closer to their goals. So why does two different sayings cause a positive outcome? Pain vs Pleasure is the answer.
Studies have shown that more people are motivated to move away from pain whether it to be emotion or physical, yet there are people that move towards pleasure. Take for example someone telling you that your overweight. That might engage you to lose weight because you don't like people telling you that your overweight. If your pants don't fit comfortable that also is motivation to move away from pain. If you get a cut on your arm you will take action and clean it up so it doesn't get infected. These are just some examples of motivating techniques to take action while moving away from pain.
On the other end setting up loftily goals that challenge you to push towards the unthinkable, motivates people that move towards pleasure. They are stimulated by success and the feeling it gives them. Many athletes drive to break records. This is an example of moving towards pleasure.
The driving force that makes us take action is a very valuable tool. When someone says the wrong thing to you, perhaps it might actually be the right words for you to get engaged.
When my brother in law came home to visit from Florida this past October, he surprised everyone by how much weight he put on. It wasn't the words so much of his family that upset him, but their body language towards him. He knew what they were thinking. Three months later when he came back home he had lost 20 lbs and couldn't wait for his family to see him and he says he now has a flat stomach and is motivated to keep going. When he left he asked me as a health coach what I thought and what should he do. I told him the seed has been planted and your ready to take action. I told him that he has the knowledge to lose weight, and now the pilot has been lit. I actually liked it when he was being put down, because I knew it was creating a positive outcome.
A few weeks ago my brother in-law went shopping with me and he purchased a pant size to small for him. I knew what he was doing. He was creating more pain by not being able to fit into the pants. I like to see knowledge being applied. He mentally became stronger and physically and he has been rewarded.
True motivation equals real results! Losing weight on a scale doesn't mean that you got the results that you wanted. Getting a raise at work may not be enough to keep you to stay.
You might be waiting for the answer, which means ......... your indeed motivated.
Live life on your terms!
LiveStrong,
Bryan Morgan
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