Motivation. Its a tough one, some people swear by it and some say it’s a myth. Im a firm believer of motivation and today I want to share a technique that has really helped me to stay motivated.
In one of my Life Orientation/Life Skills classes in Gr9 (Year 9 / Freshman year) I learnt about this technique and it is one of the few things that have stuck with me from the subject. To break it down simply, the technique involves creating an image of you ideal future, preferably a specific event. You are then required to flesh out on this dream/vision to include all your senses. What emotions are you feeling? What sounds are you hearing? What are you seeing? What are you smelling? This event should be so special and so specific to your dreams that it should instantly be able to motivate you. The technique then requires you to draw a line back from that dream event to your current situation and you need to fill in the steps that need to be taken for you to reach that event. By breaking down these steps you will easily see what you need to be doing and you will also be motivated to do it because you can see how it will contribute to the future you desire.
When even you feel unmotivated or distracted you should just try to recreate this moment in your imagination and then trace the steps back to what you are doing and see how it will help you achieve that future.
The personal event that I created envisioned me receiving an email from NASA in which they offer me a job as a software engineer. I then fleshed this out to me hearing the sound of the email coming in and the congratulating voices of my family and loved ones. I imagined the warmth of my house when a nice fire is lit. I imagined seeing the utter joy on the faces of all my family and the joy of my own face in the reflection of the screen. I imagined the smell of my favourite food being cooked. I imagined the feeling of me typing a reply accepting the job offer. All of these joined together to create my “Dream Moment”. I then linked it back to my 15 year old self with the connecting line trick I spoke of earlier. I realised that I needed to start putting a lot more effort into my school work as this would allow me to go to university and study computer science which would then open up opportunities in that field which would allow me to apply for a job at NASA. The imidiate effect it had on me was that I started managing my time more effectively which allowed me to get more work done. The joy if this technique is that you just adjust the tasks that require your attention as you progress though life. I am currently in my final year of high school and three years later I still use this technique daily. I have adjusted the line between my current situation and the “Dream Moment”, so now when I ask my self ” What do I need to do now to allow that event to happen?” the answer is to keep up my good study routines and time management and don’t be to affected by the negative peer pressure placed on me by the people around me. In doing this it will allow me to achieve my desired final exam results which will enable me to get a scholarship at then university I applied for which will relive a little bit of finical pressure which will allow me to focus fully on my studies without working part-time. This will mean that I can do better which means I have a higher chance of getting a job at NASA. Im sure you get the point.
Now its your turn ! Here are the steps to follow in creating your own Future Vision.
- Imagine your greatest dreams coming true (try to keep it realistic and believable).
- Capture this moment and flesh out on it. Link in all your senses and created a good image of everything you are feeling at that moment.
- Create a link back to your current situation and break down the steps and things you will need to overcome to get to this goal.
- Keep this vision in the back of your head and when ever you feel unmotivated just picture you in that “Dream Moment” and think about what you should be doing now to achieve it. Then DO IT!
- Make sure to adjust and keep visiting the vision and adjusting the steps on the path to vision as you progress. Make sure to keep everything relevant to the tasks you are busy with or that are in your near future.
I really hope this motivation technique helps you as much as it has helped me. It’s really powerful if used correctly and its not just a once of bit of motivation like you get from inspirational videos/speakers. This has the power to keep you motivated no matter the situation. It is also relevant to you as you are the person in charge of motivating yourself , not a motivational speaker who knows nothing abut you.
Good luck!
*Random side note: I would love to hear your very own “Dream Moment”! Please let me know via email or via any of my social media pages!
Owen Venter 