Staying motivated during this trying time in America and around the World, is very tough. With the jobs numbers in America continuing to drop, drought and famine in America and over seas getting worse, and multiple wars still dragging on…no wonder many of us feel like staying in bed and not looking at the light of day.

When I hear of people losing their jobs and becoming unemployed for 1, 2 or 3 years, I don’t feel as though they cannot find a job.  Anyone can walk into a fast food restaurant or car wash or strip mall and find something to make money.  I feel as though that many of the unemployed have lost motivation.  Many of the unemployed lost their dream job….working 9 – 5 with a company that offered health insurance, an IRA & a 401K.  They had the great company car and perks  like dinners, trips and parties.  Now that the parties and the cars and the investments are all gone….they lack the motivation to really “work” for the money.

Motivation is a funny thing.  When I worked my Rat Race job, as I like to call it, I never really had motivation.  I dreaded hearing my 7 am alarm clock.  I hated driving in the morning traffic with the rest of the 9-5’ers.  I loathed the thought of having to pretend to like a co-worker just to give them a TPS Report!

Yes I had motivation to make money.  I would take any 9-5 job just to make my bills.  But when I got to the office and sat in my little box with my little box computer and ate from a box lunch… I started to feel my motivation slip and procrastinating would then take its place.

I then realized that my motivation was misplaced.  Why should I sit here in this cubicle with zero windows and slave all day to make this company money?  When will I see the rewards of working hard and bringing the company revenue?  My motivation was centered around making money….and it should have been centered around myself as an individual!

I stopped working for “The Man” and I have turned my motivation around!

I am now motivated to get up in the morning and beat my alarm clock.  I am motivated to work on myself as an individual and pursue my likes and hobbies.  I am motivated to go out there and get my own clients and work for myself by doing something I love!

Motivation is hard to acquire, especially in today’s depressing World Climate, but if you sit up, stand up, and take control….you will have the motivation and the drive to do what is necessary to succeed!

(Picture Provided by Shannon Wheeler)