Recently I spoke to students in the Young Entrepreneurs Society at my former high school, showing them simple strategies to earn income even before they graduated. I encouraged them to learn how to establish viable enterprises in the future, reminding them that small business is the engine for growth that can turn around our country’s ailing economy.

After my talk, we had a brief question and answer session, and one of the students had a very interesting question for me. “What drives you to be successful?” he asked. Usually I am quite speedy in providing responses, but this question made me pause. To be able to give an honest answer, I had to really get introspective and consider my true motives.

I have always said that when you are establishing a goal, you need to be certain about what you want out of life and focus on why it is important to you. Don’t worry too much about the how it will happen. You only need to formulate the initial strategies that will get you started on the journey to your dreams; the rest of the pathway will reveal itself over time.

One step leads to another

If they don’t immediately see a clear way for them to successfully achieve their dreams, many people will give up on the process before they even begin. However, goal accomplishment can be likened to a scavenger hunt; you don’t get all the directions to your destination at once, as you have to succeed at one level before the next clue is disclosed.

Some people also falter along the journey, not because it was impossible, but because they never identified an impetus that would spur them to keep going regardless of inconvenience, discomfort or setbacks. You will need to have a motivating force that will keep you going until you uncover all the clues in your personal treasure hunt.

May the force be with you

What drives you to be successful? Upon deeper reflection I now recognise that this consideration cuts to the core of a person’s ability to achieve goals. It’s one thing to know what you want and create an action plan to accomplish it, but do you have a strong enough reason that will encourage you to persevere until you are successful?

For this month’s money mission, I would like you to focus on finding your inner motivator, that driving force that will compel you to succeed. What is the reason that made you decide to pursue a particular goal? Why do you want to accomplish this objective? What is your definition of success at this goal? What will motivate you to keep going despite obstacles and frustrations?

Is your nail sharp enough?

The story is told about a dog lying on the ground, groaning pitifully day after day. After seeing this, a neighbour asks the dog’s owner why the animal continues to moan. The owner explains that the dog is resting on the point of a nail. “Why doesn’t he just stand up and move off the nail?” the neighbour exclaims. “Well, it seems that the nail isn’t sharp enough to push him to get up.”

Many people behave just like that hapless animal, mindlessly existing with constant financial frustration every day. They complain about their circumstances, but never really do anything to improve their situation. Like the dog in the story, their pain is not a big enough motivator to make them get up and take action to live more fulfilling lives.

Find your internal motivator

If you are struggling with the process of achieving your dreams, ask yourself the question, “What drives me to be successful?” If your query doesn’t provide a passionate response, then this could be the root cause of your inability to accomplish your objectives. It’s not enough to just want something; you have to find a stimulus that will drive you relentlessly.

Very few people are motivated by money alone; if that were true, we would all be high achievers! Some people are not really inspired to act by their own needs, but their family’s future or the betterment of their community can provide strong reasons to succeed. Others are driven by the need to prove themselves to naysayers or to escape the deprivation of the past.

Get inspired by others

In my experience, I have seen people achieve almost impossible feats because they had a strong reason to accomplish their goals. Their desire fuelled a fire to achieve that was unquenchable; their determination opened doors that would normally be closed; their destiny was guaranteed because they would not accept the idea of failure.

To find a rallying call that will compel you to greater heights, you may be encouraged by reading stories of other people’s journeys. South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, Jamaican national hero Paul Bogle, American media mogul Oprah Winfrey, are among the hundreds of powerful inspirations that can help you to find your own impetus to succeed against all odds.

Over this month, we will continue looking at ways to motivate yourself to achieve your money goals.

Copyright © 2013 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.

Originally published in The Daily Observer, April 4, 2013

DON’T MISS MY NEXT ARTICLE! CLICK BELOW TO RECEIVE IT IN YOUR EMAIL:

Cherryl is a money coach and business mentor, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. See more of her work at www.entrepreneursinjamaica.com and www.financiallysmart.org. Contact Cherryl