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A-Z Challenge: V is for Victory

© 2013 by Raymond Alexander Kukkee [caption id="attachment_1378" align="aligncenter" width="800"]Victory- The Greek Goddess Nike at Ephesus, Turkey Victory-   The Greek Goddess Nike at Ephesus, Turkey[/caption] Victory: A state of Mind V is for Victory.  I've always contemplated the possibility that victory could somehow be just a state of mind,  --a condition of the mind we happily convince ourselves is  important.  Questions about victory abound.   Is victory just another 'state of mind in time ' with which we delude and entertain ourselves? Is the concept really much simpler, for example,  just instant happiness derived from small achievements in life? I have to admit achieving victory in a sweaty, physical  sense can be quite real,  a heady, worthy goal. Something like completing a three-legged race; let's say a hundred yards or so and the delegated  prize is an ice cream cone.  On a hot August day one can be be victorious and win.   Not surprisingly, to the victor go the melting spoils.

Let's feel it.

Imagine you won that  3-legged race to nowhere at a last-day-of-summer picnic. Celebrate.   Victory is ice cream melting;  enjoy it quickly, before it disappears.   Cheering, sweating, falling over into some  lumpy buffalo grass,  grinning at the so-called slower  'losers'. Happiness.  Wander around, proudly, smiling, eating that vanilla ice cream cone. Rewards All that effort for such an insignificant, melting victory,  but it is victory nevertheless.  You are unbeaten,  elated, superior, victorious, and somehow, invincible.   That's what victory at age 6  feels like. Is it any different now?  Not much.  Bigger trophies, bigger toys, bigger delusions. On to bigger, sweeter dreams and the next, bigger challenge and achievement.  It's still a state of mind. That's why V is for Victory   Is that Incoming I hear?  Photo: Wikimedia Commons +  
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A to Z Challenge: M is for Motivation

©  by Raymond Alexander Kukkee [caption id="attachment_1260" align="alignleft" width="300"]Autonomy, purpose & mastery Autonomy, purpose & mastery[/caption]   M is for Motivation. Do you suffer from lack of motivation?   Why do some people complete projects started and enthusiastically take on new ones, while others procrastinate, work half speed,  delay progress when offered any opportunity to do so,  and ultimately, never complete what they have started? Why the difference?    The secret ingredient is motivation.  The drive to remain motivated.  As an interesting observation, the  successful usually have a motive.

What is Motivation?

Progress in any endeavor is clearly made when enough will to complete a goal is applied with full force, but what is motivation?  Incentive, a promise of reward? How about an image of success dwelling in the mind?  Autonomy, the will to govern one's own actions,  purpose,  the reason to perform,  and mastery, the ability and skills set required  to achieve a given goal all play a part in the end game.   Which of these is the most important in the concept of 'motivation'?  How do you motivate yourself? Where does your drive come from?  Do you respond to the carrot or the stick? The hard fact is, no matter how skilled and masterful one may be at doing something- and no matter what the reward, (the carrot, or purpose)  if  an individual lacks the willpower to get on with life and be self-encouraged and autonomous, self-driven, nothing will ever  be done, no progress shall ensue, and logically no goals can be reached. We need motivation to overcome inertia. Motivation ensures motion and contributes to activity and ultimately success.   That's why M is for Motivation.    Is that Incoming I hear? Photo credit:  Nevit Dilmen Creative Commons Wikimedia.org +
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