Motivation: Create the Vision – Governors, Weightlifters and Movie stars

I remember not too long ago reading a motivating piece about a reporter that interviewed Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Not the current motivated Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger but the 1976 “I am not famous” (but am motivated to become famous) retiring from body building Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The article about Arnold Schwarzenegger himself, for me, was not that motivating, nor the most memorable.  It was not all that riveting or spell binding, but the lesson that it held was very valuable.

I mean here was a report talking to a man that he did not know much about but was attempting to create a compelling and motivating story for his readers.  During the better part of a day he asks the usual questions and got the usual answers.  Then came the question “Now that you have retired from body building, what are you going to do?”  To which the very large, Austrian man replied with a calm voice “I’m going to be the number one box office star in all of Hollywood.”

Now THAT is motivation!  Because let’s remind ourselves for a moment this is not the current Arnold Schwarzenegger we know today or have come to know via the number of action films he has starred in.  No this is 1976, that is only one year after winning his SIXTH Mr. Olympia Title.  All that to say he was buffed up and huge, and let’s not forget how much thicker his accent must have been since he had only been in America for eight years at this point.

When asked how he planned on accomplishing this he responded “It’s the same process I used in bodybuilding.”   Then he went on to explain “What you do is create a vision of who you want to be, then live into that picture as if it were already true.”

Dang, it sounds so simple doesn’t it?  Well as I have come to learn most, if not all, of life’s most important and most motivating lessons are simple ones to learn if you will just open yourself up to them.

One thing I want to make sure to come away with from this post is a note I have been lucky enough to learn and it has motivated me through many happy and many more tough times.  That lesson is this “You have to CREATE the vision!”

Note neither Arnold nor I (nor any other coach worth their salt) has said or would say that you wait around until you receive it from someone or something else.  No you get your bottom up and you create it for yourself.  I mean after all it is YOUR vision who else COULD create it for you?  No one that’s who – anyone else would be motivated towards their goal, only YOU are motivated towards YOUR vision to get off your bum and create YOUR vision for YOUR life.

Creating your vision will give you something to wake up to in the morning.  It will give you that little extra ‘oomph’ and motivation to hop up out of bed – throw open the shades of doubt and greet the rising sun of your life each and every day knowing that you have somewhere you are going and today you will get at least one step closer to it.  That my friend is self-motivation and there is no other power stronger then that ability to motivate your self each and every day.

So go on, go create your vision right now – seriously close this internet window and go create a vision that will be your motivation for tomorrow’s hop out of bed.  Do not worry about whether it is perfect just get it created.  You can always change it later if you want to, but you can not live for nor be motivated by the vision you do not have.  Create your vision today and watch what that vision does to motivate you now, tomorrow and into the rest of your life.

Think Successfully & Take Action

Tracy Brinkmann

One of Today’s TOP Motivated Coaches & Author of Success Atlas Programs

Related posts:

1. Motivation, Rocking Chairs, an Deathbeds
2. Motivation is the Spark