Sometimes this world is quite overwhelming and it feels as though enacting any change is impossible, so why even try? How can we motivate ourselves to start, when the job or task seems impossible and failure is more likely than success?!

The proverb says, “it’s not upon me to finish the job”, yet that doesn’t give me permission to abandon the job just because I may not finish it.

Additionally, it’s all about the journey—not the destination. I know this is a cliché, yet it’s a cliché because it’s true!

Lastly, intent and effort are sometimes more important than results, as we have very little control over the results, yet all the control over our efforts.

I’m reminded of a story: a gentleman sold his company in 1999, prior to the dot-com crash, to Lucent. He had to wait 12 months before he could sell his stock, and in the meantime, he went ahead and donated millions of dollars of the stock to a charity. By the time the charity could sell the stock, the dot-com crash had happened and the stock was worth 90 percent less. The Rabbi who told me the story said something amazing, he said, “the gentleman had the merit of giving away millions, yet we had the merit of only receiving a fraction of that”.

When we set out to do a task with all our hearts, our souls have already earned the credit. Our souls don’t see the end result, it’s our ego that does. This is what keeps me motivated when the job seems impossible.

I say to myself, if I start, others will continue and eventually it will get done, yet if I don’t start, it will take that much longer.

How do you motivate yourself when the task seems impossible?

This week, let’s do the next correct indicated action and stay out of the results. You never know how much you may accomplish.

Accountability, Community, Unconditional Love

Asher

I want to remind all of you that you can hear more on my podcast, Showing Up. We have lots of amazing shows with interesting guests on a variety of personal development topics. It would be great if you could also rate 5 stars, review and subscribe to the show. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/showing-up-with-asher-gottesman/id1489856285y

Posted in Thought of the Week