🎵 Every little thing gonna be alright
I recently saw a billboard that read:
Intrinsic motivation (n.)
Referring to actions that are driven by internal rewards.
Satisfaction of the activity rather than the desire for a specific outcome.
Extrinsic motivation (n.)
Doing something because you want to earn a reward.
A desire to do something that comes from outside oneself.
It got me thinking about the subtle nuances between the two definitions. Are we all just on a steady ascent? Is striving for better always the end goal? Or are we just content with what is?  Is it all about the feels?
In the last few years the answer to the above question would be a resounding yes! From securing my Board Certification in coaching, receiving accolades on my various media columns, publishing a best-selling book, interviewing numerous celebrities, being invited to cover various wellness experiences and retreats around the world as a travel journalist, and currently launching season 4 of a successful podcast, the road albeit not an easy one, was rewarding both intrinsically and extrinsically on so many levels.
I invariably get asked where does that motivation come from. Were you just born with it? Was it cultivated over time? How did you bounce back from such a medical tragedy? As you can guess, there is never an easy answer. For those of us who have survived a big hit like cancer or any other life-threatening illness, the motivation to overcome and thrive is something that weighs heavily on our soul. We don’t want to f*ck it up!
But you don't need something debilitating to be a catalyst for growth in your life. It's really as simple as the following 8 steps that I’ve used with consistency and intention. You can use it as a journal prompt, a mantra, meditate on it, or even say it out loud in your prayers, but use it wisely.
It's worked for me. But realize there are never any quick fixes in life….it’s always about those little steps.
State clearly and succinctly what it is that you want.
Figure out all the "ingredients" of what goes into successfully achieving this.
Invest in yourself and learn all you can about it (courses, training, online videos, coaches, mentors, consultants, set up Google alerts).
Feel the feelings in your whole body of what it would be like to have this manifest.
Be in action and in the energy of creation, not self-doubt.
Look for inspiration by mimicking the success of others.
Find a community of like-minded individuals.
Realize that you are never separate from your goal. Your goal just hasn't been found yet.
Every Tuesday morning at 10 AM EST I will post a powerful prompt and follow it wherever it leads. The aim is to resource all "three brains" — head 🧠, heart 💓, and gut 🤰 — in hopes of connecting the dots to those sticky parts in our nature that matter so we can live our best life.
As a syndicated columnist for Authority Magazine and Thrive Global, I have interviewed nearly 175 cancer survivors from all walks of life. In my #1 best-selling book, I Survived Cancer and Here Is How I Did It, I share the true stories of 35 of those survivors and what they learned physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually from this very difficult experience which has forever shaped their worldview. The intention is to tell a survivor story — that cancer is not an ultimate death sentence. Help support this movement by purchasing and sharing this Book, eBook, or Audiobook.