Motivationally Speaking: A title taken right out of the book of title writing

I have an idea, or as Ricky Stratton, of TV's Silver Spoons, used to say, an "Idear." An idea, or idear, is a mentally formed plan or concept. A great example of an idea is when you decide to do something. Notice I did not say do something, but decide to do something. That is an important destinction. Because doing and idearing are two seperate issues.

I have an idea. I want to write a novel about an unusually shy guy who meets an over-achieving girl and they fall in love. Oh yeah, and they're both in a coma, and there are also two boxers. Great idea, right? No? Well, it actually works. I know because the story is allready laid out in a musical play I wrote at the turn of the century (we should use that phrase more often). I like the play, but can find nowhere to shop it (because I have not looked nor do I care to look), so I thought I might make an attempt at turning it into a novel. So, over the last few weeks and months I have been trying to figure out how to motivate myself to start this project, just to see how it goes.

I learned that I am too busy to be motivated right now. "Try back in about ten years, idear boy," my subconsious, who sounds a lot like Ricky Stratton, says. I teach motivation as part of a module on mentoring in my day job as a Leadership Trainer. Here are some tips on motivating others:

Remember: A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y

A: Accept that you cannot motivate others they must motivate themselves.
E: Create an Environment where motivation is likely (you can't make a horse drink, you can only make it thirsty)
I: Inquire of the individual as to why they do not appear motivated.
O: Give ownership of the solution to the unmotivated one.
(Y): Sometimes duties must be "Yanked."

I like this list, because I made it up. There is a problem with trying to apply it to yourself though. Yourself knows what your trying to do and tends to reply with, "I know what you're doing...I'm not getting thirsty... go ahead "yank" my duties, you're only hurting yourself...you bastard." The last phrase is most hurtful, because yourself is very aware of your parentage and knows that the phrase doesn't apply but insits on calling you it anyway. Lazy-assed bastard.

So, If you ever see a poorly-written book about a comatose love story written by Wilson Culpepper you'll know I somehow got myself going.

End.