If I were to read a quote, book, or attend a seminar in hopes of getting motivation, I would be fooling myself. Inspiration, maybe. Motivation, no. There’s a difference between the two, and it does matter.
So let’s see how books can give you inspiration, not motivation – and why the difference matters. I used to use those words interchangeably until I noticed a distinct difference. The most noteworthy differences are these:
Motivation is a purpose. Motivation requires actions
About a decade ago, I bought a train ticket and had $2.12 in my wallet. I had almost nothing, but I traveled 900 miles to ‘go see about a guy.’ It was more than that, though. I wanted a new start to my life, and I didn’t want to wait one more minute. That is motivation. It has a clear motive fueling the actions to support that motive.
If you do need help getting motivated, here’s something better than a book…
- Mentors — they care, they push you in the right direction, they remind you of your motives in case you forget, they teach, but they also let go because they believe in you.
- Peers — people who are working towards similar goals, empathize with your motives and want you to succeed, and have your back. I met my peers during evening GED® classes. Well, evening classes didn’t work at all for me, so I took the Onsego GED prep course and now, I’m the holder of a GED diploma who’s so proud of her achievement as she passed with college-ready scores!