Motivating Matters

To give you a bit of context in regards to the title, I’ve been working for an entertainment company on the weekends, setting up the audio and lighting for weddings. Recently, my coworkers and I were joking around while setting up, and one of them asked me if I had done something. I can’t remember exactly what he asked if I had done, but I quickly responded “No, I didn’t do it.” The drummer who was there setting up his drum set responded, “That’s your problem. You never do anything!”

He was clearly joking when he said it, but for some reason it felt like I needed to hear that. At first, I took it to heart, but instead of allowing my emotions to control how I would react, I became quiet. This gave me the time to process the situation. Even though I knew it was a joke, it felt like there was a great deal of truth in what he said. It resonated with other areas in my life that had nothing to do with the conversation we were having in that moment. Often times we come to realize the meaning of things in our lives through conversations with others. This was one of those times where the drummer helped me realize something without trying.

Phenomenons like these seem to be a relatively common occurrence in our lives if we are present and listening to our conversations. I think about a lot of shows and movies that depict this. For example, two people might be in conversation, and out of nowhere one of them might say, “I got it!” or “Everything makes sense now,” leaving the other person wondering what just happened. Something that was said in their conversation helped that person come to a realization. This is exactly what happened to me.

The drummer helped me recognize that those that take action are the only ones that can truly be responsible for doing something. Life rewards those of us willing to take action. If we refuse to do anything in life, whether out of fear, laziness, lack of time, or any other excuse we might formulate, then we cannot be accredited for achieving anything. This situation helped me absorb the truth that if I decide to live my life never having attempted to pursue my dreams, then I would be responsible for the life that ensues. I know it’s not a monumental realization, but there was power in recognizing it for myself so I figured it might help others.

After further contemplation about the statement I was told by the drummer, it has become evident that life has increased exponentially in convenience. In many ways technology and supply chain innovation have bettered the livelihood of humanity, but convenience is dangerous because it may lead downstream to domestication. I believe the rise of technology and interconnectedness of life is leading us into docility. Inaction is one of the many symptoms of this.

I wasn’t planning on going on a tangent like this when I first started writing this blog, but it feels somewhat related to my original realization.

Thanks to this new world, people have become ever so quick to judge another person for taking action or going against the grain. People have seemingly retreated to comfort zones behind their social media profiles to pursue their hidden agendas. They find joy in watching another person take action, their only action being to pray on their downfall. It’s sad, but this is another reason why many people don’t take action in life. They are worried about what other people are going to say about them.

I believe the judgement often stems from discontentment with ones own circumstances, which results in an envious reaction to the other person’s action. In my humble opinion, nobody should feel they have the right to judge another person for trying to better their circumstances. Especially if the person judging has not taken action themselves. Side note: Obviously if the person is taking advantage of others through corrupt or immoral means, people should judge righteously, but it seems as if the roles have reversed. People are stepping up to defend those taking advantage of others while bashing the innocent.

We have increasingly become a society with good intentions and no actions. This is a recipe for destruction because without action there is no innovation or advancement. We should all be creators and lifelong learners, instead majority of people are content being consumers of products that are designed to distract and disorient. There is a small minority of people that create the vast majority of products and services we consume. Self actualization is the kryptonite of domestication.

As I discussed in my blog, Logotherapy & Our Search for Meaning, self actualization is defined by Oxford Languages as “the realization or fulfillment of one’s talents and potentialities.” I also explained that the only way to achieve self actualization is through self transcendence. We are called to rise above our limited human potential and find meaning and purpose outside ourselves. Therefore, we find ourselves by leaving behind our egotistical and selfish desires. This helps pave the way for less self critique and more self acceptance because the spotlight is no longer focused on our shortcomings and that attention can be put towards trying new things.

Recently, I opened a fortune cookie that relates to the message of this blog. It read, “The saints are the sinners who keep on trying.” I think it could just as well be, “The high achievers are the failures who keep on trying.” We are human and will always make mistakes and fail, but the difference comes from how we respond to those shortcomings. Do we allow them to define us or do we keeping trying?

To tie the statement, “That’s your problem. You never do anything!” back in to all of this, it not only made me realize that life rewards those that take action, but also the actions I take need to be calculated as well as have the benefit of others in mind. When we are blessed with expertise or knowledge in something, we are called to share that with others. Despite the division we’re taught to see amongst one another, I believe we have much more in common than we give each other credit for. Let’s take action together!

Learn about something you have no previous understanding of. For myself that might be learning about cars and how all the mechanisms work together. Do something you have been meaning to do, but have been avoiding. For myself that was making my first Youtube video for Motivating Matters. Write a poem or go for a walk barefoot. Take a different route home from work. Do anything except your normal daily routine! Never stop trying new things!

I appreciate you reading this post and hope this showed you why Motivating Matters. Feel free to comment any thoughts or feedback about the article!

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