Every New Year’s, I resolve in the same way; I set a goal. For example: I want to lose weight. Then, I do some made up cutting back on certain foods diet I dream up and occasionally go for a walk. This only leads to frustration and failure. Through the Lent process, I learned about setting goals, making a plan, keeping motivated, and having inspiration. This time the process was reversed, which is why I think I learned to become more successful in attaining my goals. During Lent, I learned there was a difference between inspiration and motivation. Many people confuse these words to mean the same thing when they are not. Inspiration is that spark that incites or stimulates you. Motivation is the driving force to keep you heading toward your goal; that daily inducement that maintains your drive following your plan toward the ultimate goal.
Lent season is about building a new refreshed relationship with God. That relationship is the ultimate goal. During Lent we set other sub-goals that usually include giving up bad habits or taking on new things. This is part of the micro-level plan. My desire to have a renewed strengthened relationship with God was my inspiration. Starting on Ash Wednesday and continuing for 40 days, I became increasingly motivated. I was getting closer to my goal each day, and I had extraneous motivating forces surrounding me. The benefits of giving up bad habits and seeing God’s influence in my daily life were positive reinforcements that kept me motivated. By Easter Sunday, I felt renewed and accomplished.
The inspiration is the thing that many people miss. It may be trying to win the heart of a girl that gets us started on that diet. Then we develop a decisive plan. Once on that diet, small successes of weight loss and increased stamina are positive reinforcements that keep us motivated. Then eventually we strive persistently enough that we attain our goal and marry that pretty girl. As another example: maybe we come up with a new invention and want to get it out to the world. We get all excited about it and build a plan. This plan leads to the start-up of a new business venture full of little ups and downs. With enough persistence, we can eventually make a successful business.
The first step toward attaining any goal in life must include finding that inspiration. This leads to development of a defined plan of action. Once the plan is put into place, then we find motivation. Eventually, we attain out goals. The process is the same regardless of your goals. Once I recognized this process, I learned that I can implement this into all aspects of my life.
