Motivating Yourself Through Adversity

children 1This week has been fun, but exhausting. Anyone who has gone on vacation with 2 or more children is familiar with the hard work and frequent frustration found within this challenge. Fatigue, jet lag, too much sugar, and several full days of an adventure park (Disneyland in our case) creates a ripe environment for exhaustion and quite a bit of crankiness.

So why do families take vacations despite the hard work and frustration? It’s because the time together and the memories created are so valuable. I try to remind myself of an adage that I use often to motivate myself when I face adversity or hard work that I initially want to avoid. If something is valuable it usually takes hard work. The second adage I try to use is, The harder I work for something the more I will appreciate it in the long-run. These statements are a source of motivation and help me to focus, buckle down, and do what needs to be done.

The vacation is over and although it was hard work, my adages have been validated again. Through the work, occasional frustration, and some good old family bickering, the time we spent together as a family was invaluable.

What do you do to motivate yourself to focus, buckle-down and give your best effort in the midst of adversity and difficult circumstances? Creating a personal adage can be a source of inspiration and a way to drive yourself forward even when part of you wants to avoid the situation or quit. Feel free to use mine or create your own if you don’t currently have any.