What Do You Do When You Are In Search Of Motivations? --- Contest Entry by @kwadjobonsu

Hello Comrades. I believe everybody is in good health? A special thanks to @steem-ghana for, once again, an exceptional contest. This post is my entry to the contest-themed “What do you do when you are in search of motivations”. The contest is currently running till its deadline, which is 6th August 2021. It is open to all Steemians across the globe. This is the link to the contest. I look forward to seeing your entry.

There is a story of a little girl who came across a cocoon that was in the process of transitioning into a moth. It was an amazing sight for this lad. She stayed and watched as the cocoon strived to make its way out through a small opening. After several futile attempts, the cocoon paused and seemed stuck. The little girl, who had compassion for this struggling cocoon, looked around for a razor and enlarged the opening for the cocoon to make its way out. The young moth was able to emerge. Nevertheless, the cocoon never fully developed into a moth. It rather obtained swollen body with very tiny wings that were incapable of flight. This was the repercussion because when a moth or a butterfly prematurely emerges, it usually is unable to fully develop as it was supposed to use its excess fluid to pump the wings out through its struggles, and also requires the right temperature for development, which is provided in the cocoon or chrysalis respectively. The young girl thought by ending the cocoon’s struggles, she was helping it. Rather, she has caused permanent damage to the insect.

Struggling is part of nature, and I have experienced it in many aspects of my life. I have had hard times in my academic, social, financial, and spiritual life. As humans, we are motivated at some point to keep on grinding. Quite often, these drives do not come naturally and have to be sought for. So I will be touching few points on some actions that I take when I am in search of motivation because we all feel like giving up sometimes.

When I began learning how to code on my own, I came across certain topics that seemed insurmountable. I felt like quitting and trying something different. Instead of giving up, I began watching more online videos on the topics, communicated frequently with skilled programmers, and consistently fed my brain with computer-coding material. This had an immensely positive effect on my outlook on things. Seeing close friends, who had become veterans in Software engineering, design and make stunning applications was sufficient to inspire me to get back to coding. After a while, I was able to fathom the complex topics and apply them to small projects. They say we become like the people we surround ourselves with. So I have learned how crucial it is to be in the company of like-minded individuals. Not only does it motivates us, but it also challenges us to perform better.

Another important key that aids me when I am in search of motivation is affirmative self-talk. It is commonplace for individuals to self-sabotage and speak negatively about themselves when all hope is lost. We are the words we speak. Hence, by continually saying positive words to ourselves in times of struggle, we condition and motivate ourselves for the greater good. As long as we believe we can accomplish a task, that is all that matters.

Last but not least, when I am in search of motivation, I reminisce about previous successes. It is normal for humans to forget their past success in times of strive. When a student fails one exam, he or she begins to see him/herself as dumb at the moment, forgetting all the numerous tests that he or she had passed. Hence, when I get to a point in life where I feel dejected, inadequate, and unmotivated for an undertaking, I sit back and remember some of my herculean achievements and remind myself of the beast I am. This is often enough to inspire or motivate me to get back on track.

Thanks for reading my entry. I hope you learned a thing or two from it. See you another time.

For identification purposes:
Cc:
@oppongk