Lead yourself

An automobile needs fuel to move forward. A pump needs a source of power in order to function. We can think of so many examples of making something work using an external source of energy. It is pretty obvious that if we do not fuel our car, it will not run after it runs out of fuel. Hence, the car's mobility is dependent on our actions.

We always talk about being motivated to do something. This motivation provides us the push to do something we want. We can think of motivation as the fuel to us; without it we would not be interested in doing anything. But unlike other examples, we have the option of not depending on an external source for motivation.

The challenge is to exercise that option; to internalize the motivation

Comparisons are both positive and negative, depending on the way we see it. In order to gauge our progress, we will have to compare our current self with the person we were a year ago. But, if we start analyzing our journey on the basis of another person's progress/achievements, it will not give us an accurate picture.

Comparing two different people's journeys is like comparing two different mathematical equations; sometimes there may be a common solution to the equations, but it does not mean both of them are the same.

Our lives are an equation; it has some constants and variables. The variables, as the name suggests, are the points of difference. It is what makes my journey different to yours. That is the exact reason we cannot compare our lives; the situations we face on a daily basis are different. Due to the difference in these events, the following events are also different. We had discussed this idea in a previous article.

Hence, we can get motivated by other people or their work (videos, books, art etc.), but we need to cultivate this habit of motivating ourselves as it is a sustainable practice. In times when we are unable to find any external motivation, we can turn to ourselves to fuel our progress.

The best way to motivate ourselves is start having conversations with ourselves

Many times, we know what is the right thing to do, but still do not do it. We can use this knowledge of right and wrong and start talking to ourselves. This will help us clear out all the disturbances in the mind and focus on the important stuff.

It is difficult leading a group of people because we have to ensure the necessary results are achieved, while following the necessary process and being empathetic with people. But leading ourselves is more difficult because we do not have the comfort of alternate opinions; there is just our opinion. We always tend to give the benefit of doubt to our team members when something goes wrong, but are pretty hard on ourselves when we mess up. This results in loss of morale and breeds negative energy.

Leading ourselves means treating ourselves as a team member and motivating ourselves as you would do in a normal team environment

Once we start interacting with ourselves, we will discover many benefits of being self-motivated. If everyone of us can practice this, we will become independent. The level of competition in current times is very high. It is natural for us to feel anxious about our future and our current progress. But, if we concentrate on our learning curve, it will give us an accurate perspective of where we stand and what are the steps to be taken further. If we can help each other become self-sufficient, it will benefit us all.