The REAL effect of motivation

 

My perception about motivational speakers is that they are often a bit… shallow. Yes, most motivation techniques only touch the surface of a person; it feels like a very elaborate joke.

However, real motivation is something different. You see it portrayed in movies, songs, and people’s speeches and acts. It has the power to change another person’s life - or a whole situation - in such a way that there is no turning back.

Here are a few examples of real motivation:

• Remember the Titans. Not exactly a masterpiece of cinema, but it touches the heart and inspires us to see people from different backgrounds with a new perspective.
• Patch Adams. Motivation from the perspective of health. Even though it became controversial, the idea of bringing clowns into hospitals has proven to bring real results. In São Paulo, in one of the most dangerous areas dominated by drugs, psychiatrist Flavio Falcone continues this legacy, bringing hope and a ray of light.
• Songs. Too many to count! But here’s a short list:
• Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey). Don’t get trapped by your financial status or circumstances.
• Conqueror (Estelle & Jussie Smollett). Less known, but incredibly performed by Kechi Okwuchi (Kechi Sings). Just listen and see how uplifting it is.
• Maria, Maria (Milton Nascimento). A masterpiece that has inspired countless women living in vulnerable or poor conditions to find their inner greatness.
• Color Esperanza (Diego Torres). During one of Argentina’s darkest economic times, this song awakened hope across the country.
• Stories. From tales, history or simply someone sharing their experience, stories can be deeply motivational. Think of the mentors, teachers, parents, grandparents - or even strangers - who show you a new light, a new hope, maybe even a new path. Don’t you feel like doing something about your life after hearing stories like that? I will tell you one (in brief) told by a friend of mine: A young man from a rural area of Colombia won a school competition about space. A friend of mine helped him raise funds to compete nationally - he won again. Later, after military service, he competed internationally. Eventually, he ended up working at NASA.

Motivation is everywhere: in films, songs, stories and in the people who cross our paths. But the deepest kind of motivation comes from within - something I’ll touch on in another post.