From the Throes of Life I Derived My Motivation to Rise
Dancing Elephant Press Book Project Prompt Motivation
Often the goal is nearer than it seems
To a faint and faltering man.
Often the struggler has given up when he
Might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown,
So stick to the fight when you’re the hardest hit.
It’s when things seem worst that
You mustn’t quit.
— Edgar Guest, Keep Going
Call the Words When its Time
Growing up, this poem with all its four stanzas in form of a poster, lay stuck to the wall of our room. It was amongst those random posters my father will get us to be patched around the wall, as opposed to film stars — the only exception being Charlie Chaplin.
I would pass by this poster many times a day and often read it for the rhyme and rhythmic flow it has, just for the fun of it. There was no occasion or reason to understand the depth of these words.
Till I found myself in the pits, engulfed in the still of the dark, not finding the light to sustain.
In every moment of self-soliloquy, when I got ready to cheer my crest-fallen self, these were the words that emanated from my subliminal and gave me the courage to face the next second.
In his own quiet ways, my father introduced me to these words of wisdom to be called in when difficult times arrived.
These words are still called when it’s time.
There is victory beyond the realm of fear:
This catchline from a popular soft drink commercial, where the models perform life-defying stunts to overcome fear, was the only thing playing in mind at that moment.
It was a wintry January evening and I numbed myself. I was about to take my greatest leap of faith and till the last moment, I told myself to recede, as my stiff fingers haphazardly pressed keys on my phone.
Requested, discussed, told, and now almost coerced by my partner-in-crime, I entered the most difficult few minutes of my life.
“I read what you write and let me tell you they are good. And if I like it, there are many like me out there who will too, trust me”, I was told.
Hardly convinced but gathering some hope, I sat to publish my first ever story, with no certificate or history of writing to lean on. I typed and pressed ‘POST’ and decided to forget about it.
The next morning I woke up to the most riveting experience of my life.
My phone was flooded with messages about my writing, that my friends located me after a long hiatus ( I joined social media only two years back), and connected to hundreds of my friends from school, university, and workplace. It felt like a mini online reunion and I overcame my insecurities/anxieties that I allowed to grow inside me, which started to touch the ceiling.
Other moments of motivation have come my way in the following days, but that day still remains my point of return, when life ceases to move.
The day I conquered myself.
Let’s Call the Wild:
Your ways familiar,
Reminds me of someone I know —
I walk into my room,
With a cluster of you in tow,
Shadows juxtapose, if walls could speak
In unison we sail, child-o-wild —
Yes, You and me!
— Child-o-Wild by Author
The decision to create a verdant patch around me stemmed from the wish to be surrounded by beautiful flowers and greens, doubling up as a healer.
Initially, I got myself all flowering plants and worked around them really hard to make them stay the place.
All the winter/spring efforts dissolved in the scorch of heat, as summer (temperature ranging between 45–48 deg) sucked away the colours.
During that time I noticed the weeds that grew in my pots survived that temperature, lending their colour and life to an otherwise dull patch.
Though I was advised by experienced gardeners to uproot them, I decided to let them grow, as they were the only flowers that my garden had during summer.
I was drawn to their resilience and strength to survive, as during that time I was struggling with mine.
Every time I walked into my terrace and found those yellow, violets, pinks smiling at me, I found strength to fight my own battle with more courage.
I told to myself, if these minute existence can bear the scorch of reality, there has to be a way, I can too.
Nature’s quiet ways of lending motivation is unparalleled.
But what is Motivation:
Motivation, simply put, is why a person does something and denotes the driving force behind human actions.
Motivation can be both extrinsic, that arising from external stimuli like money, trophies, social recognition, or praise, and intrinsic, which emerges from within an individual, for fulfilling passion needs or doing things for personal gratification, without worrying about the outcome.
Psychologists have put forward several theories of motivation namely
- Drive theory,
- Instinct theory and
- Humanistic theory, where the whys of it are duly explained.
A theory that’s most recognised and in various use comes from the humanistic category namely Maslow’s Need Hierarchy, where motivation is explained through the satisfaction of needs arranged in a hierarchical order.
The pyramid given below charts the needs as motivation and how it escalates as each is fulfilled.
In Conclusion:
“Some people say, Motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing.
That’s why I recommend doing both Daily” — Zig Ziglar
Motivation is like the lighting on a night of a thunderstorm. A spark may not last your need, but lights up the dark sky lending it periodical visibility.
It can come instinctively or through a method of repeated action.
It is a process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviours.
Motivation can be found anywhere around us, where simple observations in mindful moments can spark a mind to create, innovate or even accomplish simple goals.
I may desire to reduce 20 lbs of weight in 8 months, but without the right motivation, the wish will refuse to metamorphose into reality.
Motivation is that conversation our system has with our mind, which helps us achieve the seemingly unachievable and like all things good is difficult to sustain. Hence, regular practice of what we decide as our goal is imperative to stay motivated.
And on days of mercury dropping, we can always go back to our moments of sustenance —
If a wildflower can, I can !
Reference:
1. 20 Most Popular Theories of Motivation in Psychology, Beata Sounders M.Sc PsyD, Motivation & Goals, PositivePsychology.com
2. What is Motivation, by Kendra Cherry, Verywellmind.com
3. Maslow’s Need Pyramid, Source: Wiki
Thank You Lady Dr. Gabriella Korosi Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles Sharing Randomly, and Dancing Elephant Book Project for moving forward with this wonderful book project.
Thanking everyone who cares to take note and engage.
