Can we motivate others? or we can only inspire them to motivate themselves?

‎"Can we motivate people? Absolutely not. What we can do is Inspire people to motivate themselves." - That's what it is. 

Many a time we think motivation is enough for people to perform, but the million dollar question is "is it an outside motivation, or inside inspiration" - if it is outside motivation, which generally happens when we see someone fired up on stage, when we hear a enthusiastic speech, when we read a highly charged up book - than this motivation will not remain for long. But if it comes from within - no matters what happens outside, it is there and it will be there.

Many a time the motivators don't even know that they are actually putting people down, in place of firing them up.  Those are the motivator we call - know it all people. What motivates them - their own goals, their own vision and their own egos. Why people will like to deal with us? They want to deal with us because they feel comfortable dealing with us. And when they feel comfortable dealing with us ? - when they realize not how much we know - but how much we care. And caring is an attitude - it cant be learned like a trick - it needs to be established, it needs to be installed within us.

6 minutes ago ·

Many so called leaders, so called motivators talks about things which can be measured, which can be seen as the ultimate measurement of success. For them tangible results are THE MAIN THING. But its not tangible, its intangible which determines success. It is not leaves, it is root that determine the fate of the tree. It is not outside measurable, tangible results but intangible, unseen, attitudes which determines the success. The 10% results outside is the result of 90% work inside. But those so called experts, who are so engrossed in themselves, in their own persona, they outrightly rejects if someone talks about intangibles - they not only deny the fact that intangible are more responsible for success they even discourage people who talk about intangibles. But the truth is when you go up in business, profession or life you go up because of these intangibles and when you go down, you go down also because of these intangibles.

The goal setting to be addressed holistically. People take work problem to family and family problems to work. They are totally connected. What many a time the leadership - the so called leaders - discard this thing apart - they say they value family but actually their action says they value work, goals, results only. How can someone be connected to those who say something and do something else. Goal setting is important - very important but the way it is being approached is equally important. We need to have the holistic approach to goal setting not the dry, one-sided workaholic approach.

Good leaders create Leaders and bad leaders create followers. Good leaders create leaders and get out of their way and bad leaders when they see someone comes closer to their leadership title they get de-motivated and actually feel insecure. Good leaders are secure enough to praise wholeheartedly, encourage enthusiastically and feel compassionately but insecure leaders  are so engrossed with limelight and self-centretedness that they don't even realize that their insecurity and indifferent attitude is actually putting peopl down.

Another important aspect to be put into perspective is one of the most preached and most avoided concept, specially by so called leaders that - it is our credibility determine our profitability. which is not only money, material success, position but good will - which is more important. It is character, trust, integrity and intention rather than enthusiasm, charm, domination.

There is a huge difference between character and reputation. reputation is we do the right things so that we cannot not be caught, character is we do things when even nobody sees or know we did that. If we do things with the intentions of not being caught we are doing the right things with wrong reasons and if we do the right things even when nobody knows that we have done it,  we are doing the right things for right reasons. Reputation is what other know of us and character is what we know who we are.

Character always catches up with reputation - sooner or later.

Just have a look around you and feel this paradox - many of the leaders who have everything - power, enthusiasm, charm, knowledge and influence (the outer 10%) which they teach and believe is required for success - still not as successful as they can be - on the other hand there are many of the real successful leaders who by default or by will operate from (the inner 90%) inside and are more ahead than their so intellectual, knowledgeable, powerful, influensive counterparts. 

This observation will tell us what really matter, the 10% outer, the visible, the tangible or 
90% inner. the invisible, the intangible.

Regards.

Mahesh Sharma
Live Inside-Out

www.knowyourtrueself.org

Inspired by a speech by Mr. Shiv Khere posted on one of friends wall