A little talk about motivation.

I had a little talk about motivation today. Actually, I had several. One was with my class at large. One was with an individual. No matter how often I have to go over the material that I teach, no matter how slowly I feel we are moving on our deadlines - I never get impatient. Unless...

Unless a student displays a lack of internal motivation or "self-discipline".

See, I was raised in the 1960s by some parents who were raised in the 1940s. I guess that means that there were certain things that I learned early on in life, mostly because life was much different back then. It was easier for most kids, and for most families.

Now there is a lot more reason for students to feel "stressed out" and I do feel bad about that. Nonetheless, it isn't impossible for these students to have high expectations of themselves. Most of the ones that I get to work with do.

There are always a few who need to re-focus now and then. Here is a video that explains a little bit about self-discipline.

It is something that did come up today, so I just felt compelled to repeat how I feel...

Michael J. Fox has become something of a hero to me. When I was a kid, he was a kid. I remember when we were both in the prime of our lives, healthy as could be.

As life has it, I got epilepsy and he got Parkinson's.

He wrote a book. Someday I probably will too.

In his book, he introduces readers to a variety of people who haven't let difficulties stand in the way of their happiness. Even Fox himself says the past 10 years, dealing with Parkinson's and setting up The Michael J. Fox Foundation, have become among his happiest and his best.


"For everything this disease has taken, something with greater value has been given," Fox says, "So, sure, it may be one step forward and two steps back, but after a time with Parkinson's, I've learned that what is important is making that one step count."

Fox travels to Austin, Texas to pay a visit to Armstrong, where the two friends talk about overcoming adversity and how their life-altering challenges have made them who they are.

For a healthy dose of self-motivation, just listen to MJF talk for awhile.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2129742n

Comments

  1. Kelsey L. AndersonOctober 26, 2010 at 9:36 PM

    I feel like the days I feel best about myself are the days that I actually get stuff done. If I'm feeling bored or unmotivated, it's usually because I'm laying around. Even starting with something tiny, like doing some cleaning, or reading a little something for school can help me feel motivated, and from there I just get more and more done.

    Also, to-do-lists are one of the most satisfying things to make, and then slowing check off.

    ReplyDelete

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