It's Now...A Post If You Are Looking For A Bit Of Motivation

I wrote this post several months ago for my Isabella & Max blog, but it came to mind today when reading on another blog about how today is Oprah's last show. So here it is again. The below quote I mention, "I don't believe in luck, I believe in preparation meeting opportunity" are words I heard Oprah say one day, while the show was on in the background. Its meaning really struck me as powerful, and I've never forgotten them. Janell

My husband and I have been having a reoccurring conversation lately. These discussions have focused on work, life, how to get where you want to go, making your dreams come true, what are the habits that make a difference and what is really important and what isn't.

I've been playing around with the idea of writing a post on our conversations and the topic of motivation for quite a while now, and woke up this morning feeling motivated to put these conversations and thoughts down in a post. I get a lot of emails asking how I stay motivated, how I get done what I do and these conversations cover the key points of what keeps me going.

The conversations on this topic between my husband I started a few months back when we were driving and I was talking about what was motivating me to be devoted to my blog and career, in addition to my goals for my personal life. I said, "it's now or never", to which my husband replied, "it's now".

That made sense to me. "It's now or never" has a negative aspect to it, almost a threat, whereas "it's now" simply embraces the moment and says now is the time. If there is something you want to do, something you have a passion for, a goal you have been wanting to reach, a challenge you want to face, it's now. Embrace the moment and if there is anything in life that is important that isn't in your life at the moment, now is the time to find a way to get it in there.

Another component in our ongoing conversations are habits and knowing the little things add up. Do what you say you are going to do and just really try to do your best.

My kids...Now They Are My Motivation & Inspiration!

And motivation, we all need motivation! Several things motivate me, and at the top of the list is a desire to set a good example for my kids and have good relationship with them. The next thing that motivates me is a statement I heard years ago, which I am constantly repeating to myself and my husband.

"I don't believe in luck, luck is simply preparation meeting opportunity." Oprah

Someone told a very successful person in a conversation that they were very lucky. This person responded by saying she didn't believe in luck, rather she believed in preparation meeting opportunity.

After hearing the statement I kept thinking about it and thinking about it. It stayed at the back of my mind and I found that the concept would be remembered when there was something I had to do which I really didn't want to do. Perhaps I was tired, or I thought why bother, what I am doing this for anyway, there doesn't really seem to be a point. Does it even matter? If I work really hard on this or that, who will really notice, where will it get me? Then I would remember the words "preparation meets opportunity" and would say to myself, okay, do your best work, it will make a difference in someway, someday. Write that letter, respond that that request, make the effort to talk to this person, do what you said you wanted to do or told someone you were going to do...put out your best effort. At least try...

As simple as it sounds it really has been a key component to whatever success I’ve had in life. When I focus on the work or thing I’ve committed to doing and complete the task, so often an opportunity arises later and I’m ready to jump on it because the work required has already been done.

What about you? What motivates you, what has made a difference in your life?