Let Success Create Motivation

Some time back, I wrote about motivation. Lately, I’ve been thinking about it differently. A woman in an engineering field recently told me, “I don’t feel motivated to continue this work, or to change jobs. I feel stuck. I don’t feel motivated to do anything.”  Her words struck me.

It is easy to sit around waiting for motivation, like it’s a spark that will suddenly ignite my next big move. But what if that spark never comes? Waiting for motivation to take flight can feel like waiting for lightning to strike, rare, unpredictable, and beyond my control.

Instead of waiting, what if I flipped the equation? What if, instead of chasing motivation, I pursued small wins that would create it?

Think about it. When I accomplish even a small task, finishing a chapter, making a phone call I’ve been putting off, or trying one new skill, the sense of progress can be energizing. That little surge of satisfaction often stirs more drive than hours of waiting for motivation to appear magically.

I’ve asked myself: What do I enjoy that could also provide the kind of living I want? If I take steps toward that, however small, I’m not just hoping for motivation, I’m building it.

This is the inversion: rather than motivation leading to success, I let success lead to motivation. Each step becomes proof that I can move forward, and each proof becomes fuel for the next step.

“Climbing in the dark is daunting. If I wait for the lights to turn on before moving, I’ll never start. But if I take one step, feel it hold me, that small success gives me the courage to take another.”  So, maybe the question isn’t, “How do I get motivated?” but rather, “What small success can I create today?”

Because sometimes, motivation doesn’t start the journey; success does.

Watch for the blind spots.

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