Reflections LEAD: Bill Hybels (2)

Bill Hybels second presentation focused around the theme of motivation. The basic concept centered around the need to motivate oneself as a leader and how to share that motivation with others. There were a lot of good suggestions and insight but as I looked back over my notes what really stuck out for me was the reminder to stay focused upon the daily disciplines of spirituality and health.
While it would seem that this is just one of those things that you would take for granted and always include in a life of faith, I know that isn't the case. There is a reason that they are called disciplines and that is because they take discipline. I find myself to easily making excuses for not doing what I know are the right things to do.

• I'm to busy
• This is to important to wait
• I'm tired
• I deserve a day off
• I'm just not getting anything out of that these days
• It really doesn't seem to make a difference

However it is expressed it comes down to the reality that they are excuses. These excuses build up over time and then suddenly I find myself out of shape emotionally, physically, and even spiritually.
Are there ways to remain motivated in the midst of what is sometimes the drudgery of discipline? What does it mean to live out the old Nike slogan, "Just Do It!" when you don't feel like it? How do you stay motivated when it doesn't seem to really matter?
Hybels made the point that everyone has different things that motivate them. As leaders we should learn what the motivators are for the people we lead and do what we can to help encourage them in ways that speak into their lives. Maybe this is the key to our own motivation as well. Knowing what keeps us going. If you exercise so that you can spurge and have that double chocolate fudge brownie is that enough motivation to get you up and out the door at 6:00 a.m. when its cold and rainy? I know it isn't enough for me because I'll just go ahead and spurge anyway. But maybe it is enough for someone else.
What seems to motivate me the most are big picture goals. Knowing where I'm headed and what God wants me to be doing is real motivation for me. It means that I have to continually remind myself of how the everyday disciplines help accomplish those big picture things. I need to know that my ability to accomplish God's purposes is dependent upon my being in the best physical health I'm capable of, which means eating as well as possible and exercising on a regular basis. It means that I have to stay in tune with my spirit and where God is leading and the only way I can do that is through the practices of prayer, fasting, worship, etc.
The truth of the matter is that when I leave out the basic disciplines of life I lose my motivation for other things more quickly than I would hope. Is it enough to keep me going in the long hall? I don't know but it is at least enough to get me motivated to do somethings in the next few days that I have allowed to slide.
How about you? Do you know what motivates you in life? Would you care to share them?