Between spirituality and pragmatism, what really motivates us?

 

Some people say they’re motivated by their spiritual ideals - values, meaning, purpose.

Others say what drives them is much more practical - money, stability, recognition.

Maybe that depends on the generation. One group grew up focusing on what was tangible and secure, while another looked for something deeper, something that spoke to their soul. Of course, we can’t generalize, but it’s interesting to see how both approaches affect motivation.

I’ve seen both sides…

A friend of mine was deeply committed to his spiritual path… until he got an excellent job. He used to almost despise money, but suddenly he was earning well, working fewer hours, and enjoying life. Gradually, his spiritual practice faded. He stopped meditating, stopped reflecting. Only much later, after realizing what he had lost, did he return to his inner path - though in a different way this time.

Another friend, from Colombia, was the opposite. He was a very pragmatic person - technical, efficient, and passionate about his work. He was truly changing lives. But it became too much. He was so good that he couldn’t stop. We didn’t use the word burnout back then, but that’s exactly what happened. When I met him again - in an airport immigration line, of all places - he was completely exhausted. Eventually, he left everything and went to live in the mountains, growing organic vegetables for years.

And there’s a third friend who once left his corporate job to follow a spiritual life and his dreams. At first, it was wonderful - peaceful, inspiring - but later, he realized it was very hard to live on occasional gigs. The company he had left still had its doors open, and after talking to a wise teacher, he decided to return. This time, he went back with a new consciousness - using his position not just for money, but as a way to keep growing and help others. I met him during that phase, and I’ve rarely seen someone so balanced, so genuinely happy.

Maybe that’s the real secret of motivation: to live in a spiritual way, in a meaningful way, and a mind that knows how to stay grounded.
Spirituality with common sense - that’s a combination that truly works.

 

This is a post in a series about motivation - starting from within.

Why Do Values Motivate?

 

In many areas of life, values may seem… valueless. At least, that’s how I used to think.

Many years ago, Brahma Kumaris launched an initiative about values. One of its strongest supporters was Colombian, who invited BK to Manizales, where there was an educational project in need of deeper input on values. I went there, gave a few lectures and soon after, a local company hired me to work with their employees on values.

The long story short? When I began translating the abstract, intangible language of values into terms a corporate professional could grasp, I discovered the real value of values.

Values form the background of any action. They guide decisions and, above all, they motivate. In fact, values are natural motivators. We tend to do things aligned with our values effortlessly, without the need for external rewards or pressures.

You can see this clearly in vocational professions - doctors, nurses, police officers, members of the clergy. They perform under pressure and in the harshest conditions because their values are fully aligned with their work. That alignment is what we call vocation.

Now, maybe your present job is not really part of your vocation, but I am sure there are many areas in your life in which the alignment between actions and values take place. I am sure you can see the motivation whenever you have to do something related to that.

So, do you need a dose of motivation right now at some parts of your life? Look at your own values, align them with what you’re doing, and you’ll discover the lightness and joy of acting from the heart.

 

This is a post in a series about motivation - starting from within.

 

How to turn a vision of future into a source of motivation?

 

You can imagine what will happen tomorrow. Next month or year.

You can dream about a new house, a new job or a new… you.

You can have a vision of transformation, that something will be completely different, much better.

 

It works! It has worked for me so far and I know so many people who use a vision of the future as a means of motivation.

Particularly when things are cloudy, resources are scarce, the will is low, the capacity is not according to the need… A vision of the future can turn into a map to navigate troubled times…

 

A story tells about a military small plane that crashed on a mountain, in Europe. The survivors walked looking for shelter and they found a house that would protect them from the cold. However, as soon as they entered the house, they discovered a map; full of enthusiasm, they decided to leave immediately and, by following the map, they were able to reach civilization again.

The problem was that, in the story, the map did not correspond to that area of Europe…

 

So, what is your vision of the future? What is that motivating fuel that will make the engine of your will to find the resources and to generate the needed capacity?

And hold on that vision, the map of your future.

 

This is a post in a series about motivation - starting from within.

Be your own leader… and motivate yourself

 

Leaders motivate - that’s one of their main roles, regardless of the type of leadership they embody.
So, if you are the leader of your own life, shouldn’t you also motivate yourself? Let’s explore this comparison.

• Leading by example. Some leaders motivate simply through their actions. People follow what they see more than what they hear. Think of Gandhi, who reshaped his entire lifestyle so others could walk the path of his ideas.
• Leading with words. Others move the world with powerful speeches or writings. Martin Luther King and Karl Marx, in very different ways, stirred minds and hearts with the strength of their words.
• Leading quietly. Some leaders don’t look extraordinary at first glance, yet their impact is immense. Eunice Paiva, a housewife, changed her own life and transformed her family’s life after her husband was kidnapped; not only that, she became a pioneer in the fight for indigenous rights - opening a whole new field of social change.

Now, what about self-leadership?

• Discipline - no excuses. Sometimes you just have to act. Doing an action sets an example for yourself, proving you truly can.
• Read, write, record. The words you absorb become fuel. The words you express - whether written or spoken - strengthen your values and shape your world.
• Start small, move big. Small steps, especially during challenges, can transform everything. That one move forward might seem ordinary, but it’s enough to create momentum - and motivation to keep going.

Self-leadership is about becoming both the example and the voice that follows. When you learn to inspire yourself, you’ll find that motivation is no longer something you search for - it’s something you generate.