Your Purpose Drives You…

 

Once upon a time, there was a young man. He used to go to the river and collect berries to sell in the market. In fact, he didn’t just collect the berries - he also made sure the water was clean. He watered the plants (his city was in a dry area) and kept everything in good condition. Then he would go and sell those products - that was how he earned his living.

 

Just like this young man in our tale, we all produce something that others “buy.” It could be berries, vegetables, sandwiches, projects, profits for companies, or even a beautiful family.
Production is one of the main functions we all have - in fact, everything in life produces something.
But there is also something more…

 

Unknown to this young man, the water he spread around helped a family of animals in the area. They, in turn, helped pollinate the plants, making the land even more beautiful and productive.

 

Besides production, we have another duty on this earth - some call it a mission, others our dharma, or simply our purpose.
Purpose is our real function - it’s the reason others will miss us when we are gone; it’s the reason our Mother Earth smiles when she thinks of us.

Others may sell berries or vegetables, but not the way we do - not with that big smile.

Many people can prepare better sandwiches, but not with our awareness, that special flavor of sustainability.
Countless professionals can deliver greater profits, but not with our long-term perspective.
And our families - they thrive because of all the water of love we’ve poured into them.
A particular kind of love, unique to each of us.

But there is one problem - it’s invisible.

 

When this young man was no longer young, he passed the task on to his son, who was not as diligent. The boy liked to play more than work, so he simply gathered the needed berries and rushed back to sell them in the market. Unknown to them, a small tragedy began to unfold. After a year or two, there were fewer berries, the land grew arid like the city, and their livelihood was in danger.

 

Purpose often becomes visible only when things start going wrong - and by then, it may be too late to reflect.
If people were more aware of their higher purpose, they would be more careful with every action.
They would treasure their smiles while selling, stay conscious in their work instead of chasing blind productivity, value their long-term vision, and never stop watering others with love.

Yet it happens - we forget our purpose.
Sometimes because we never truly knew it.
And in those moments, we must trace our steps back to the beginning.
Or…

 

The boy, being clever, soon realized what was wrong. He remembered how his father had taught him - not through words, but by taking him to watch. Then, something happened: a spark. An energy he had never felt before.
The river was nearly dry, but water still flowed. With a bucket in hand, he began watering the plants again - every single day. Two years later, the river was flowing fully, and the land was greener than ever.

 

When we are connected to our purpose, our actions align with it. Even small acts - a smile, a project, a family gesture - gain new meaning.
The beauty of this kind of motivation is that it never expires.

Stay in touch with your purpose and you will feel its energy moving through you - quiet, steady, and always there.

 

One day, the boy became a man. And one day, he brought his own sons to the river. Beside it stood a prosperous shop, full of life. When he taught his children, he was careful to show them the whole picture - not only how to fetch berries, but how to keep the river flowing.

 

Your purpose makes your life flow.

Can values motivate?

 

Many years ago, I started exploring the topic of values. It was… interesting… but honestly, I didn’t see much value in values.

One day, I gave a lecture on values – actually, several lectures – so I had to explore, research and learn that values are much more than a nice thing: a value is one of the most vital aspects in life, part of our inner compass.

Values play two key roles in our lives, and both are deeply motivational.

The first role is to connect us with ourselves. Some would say that values are spirituality translated into the physical world. Motivation, in this case, arises when we live and work in alignment with them and it is important to avoid activities that somehow suppress them.

For instance, a doctor needs patience to deal with patients. When patience is one of their values, their motivation flows naturally. But if their focus is only on the technical or scientific side, they may feel drained or demotivated in their interactions.

The second role of a value is to encourage action. Many of the things we do - reading this post, talking with a child, taking care of a garden - are driven by an inner value. When what we do doesn’t align with that, it doesn’t matter how interesting or profitable the task is, it will still feel empty.

When I joined the Air Force school (EPCAR, Brazil), I felt inspired by the strong educational environment. Certain values - like self-improvement and social mobility - were almost pushing me to go there. However, because military values were not part of my own inner set, at some point I started feeling dissatisfied, even rebellious.

The good thing about values is that they can be developed. Through reflection, dialogue, and consistent practice, we can cultivate new ones. So, if you are that hypothetical doctor who struggles with patients, you can learn to treat them with care and empathy, developing the necessary values for that.

And perhaps, if I had insisted a bit more and overcome my rebellious feelings, I might still have found my place in the military, this time in the Navy.

In the end, any lack of motivation we feel might just be a sign that it’s time to rediscover and develop the right values.

 

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

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.

The Effect of Motivation When It Comes from Within

 

Motivation can come from the outside, but the truth is: one day it fades. When that happens, both our performance and our life can take a hit.

But motivation can also come from inside. From within the self - and that kind isn’t at the mercy of external factors.

Take this example: you’ve got a big project ahead. It demands long hours and a lot of effort. At first, your external motivation is high: the challenge excites you (it’s something new), you’re working with a solid team, and the pay is great (four months’ salary in one go!).

Then reality sets in: the challenge stops being new as even the most exciting project eventually slips into routine; that team you praised? turns out those people are a pain, arrogant and difficult, and to top it off, you discover your sister-in-law is making 30% more at the same company for a similar work. Just like that, your external motivation evaporates.

Now let’s flip the lens. Same project, but with a different type of motivation, an internal motivation. You see it as an opportunity to train and to grow your skills, strengthen patience and determination and reinforce self-esteem. By the end, you have become better, regardless of the pay, the novelty or the people. These inner drivers don’t just vanish - though they do need to be cultivated.

In times like these, any kind of motivation helps. But it’s good to remember: we don’t always need to look outside to stay motivated.

 

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