It seems we live in a society that made it so important to become successful, and  we so often hear about it. It is what drives many people through their life journey…

What exactly does success relate for you? What exactly does it mean? What emotion does it trigger inside? Would that be to become financially independent? Gaining prestige and recognition? Building a business from scratch into something of great value? Feeling important with a Status? Having your kids attend a prestigious University? Driving a prestigious car? Living in a fancy suburb? Creating a respectable image? One can be so busy running after success as a whole, that one can forget (or hide) behind the reason and meaning…

These mentionned above are certainly noble aspirations and it sure is normal to desire prosperity and recognition, but is that what’s really important to be successful in life? There are several ways to view the journey of life and its ‘vehicles’ so let’s examine these three ways:

Being motivated, being inspired, or being stagnant.

Motivation is, I believe, a ‘borderline’ ego-driven process of making things happen in your life. We’ve been taught the principle of an indelible determination that makes us climb right over the obstacles, never giving up. With such drive, nothing gets in the way of your goal ! We’ve been taught this is the road to success and it is vital that we envision what we want and go after it with all our heart. There are thousands of motivational seminars, books, audios, and videos that share the secrets to getting motivated and accomplishing your dreams. With motivation, a person grabs an idea and works and perseveres until they achieve their goal. Many individuals have been incredibly successful from this method. It does take a lot of extra work to accomplish, but the end result is what counts in this approach…not just the motivation by it self.

Motivation is an amazing tool, however, if one gets to their destination (goal) and do not fully enjoy the journey (life) by being truly fulfilled through inspiration, what is the point of it then? True, lasting, fulfillment is only experienced by the approach of Inspiration, from deep within. Motivation alone doesn’t provide happiness and fulfillment…for that, one has to move to the next ‘stage’…

An inspired journey is quite different to the motivated one. In this journey the individual is grabbed with a thought, an idea, so that it takes hold of them so much that it leads to an inspired end result. Inspiration is the reality of the Spirit working through you. In other words, you are being led in the direction that the Spirit and your subconscious mind knows is good for you and the benefit of others. That’s the ultimate vehicle…

Inspiration always flows from the Universal energy of love. It is not something that is forced or pushed in any way; it simply flows effortlessly. Most of the time, when moving from inspiration, the ultimate goal or outcome is unknown. It is a guidance that comes from within, spirit-driven, and simply asks for faith in the move into unknown territory. It always involves surrendering your will – something very difficult for most of us to do-, and to entirely rely on Faith and trust, to let go, to believe in the Universe’s great plan.

It allows you to live in a state of total bliss and inner happiness where anxiety and fear can’t exist; it always requires that you get out of the way so that the Spirit can work!

Stagnation is another way people live their lives. Webster dictionary says that a stagnant life is one that is lacking in activity and interest, that it is sluggish and plain boring. This is the life many people live when they allow their job to control their life. There are bills to pay and commitments to others, so they work day after day in a job that doesn’t fill them up. They get caught up in this viscous cycle. So this person drifts along, existing in their life similar to a robot, doing what they know to do.

A life of stagnation is not a happy life. You may find external things that make you feel happy for a while, but the novelty soon wears off and you’re on to another pleasure, or at least wishing for one. Passive television watching, compulsive shopping, going to clubs, doing drugs, over eating, etc… are the type of vehicles used to momentarily –and mistakenly fill that gap…In a stagnant life there is a definite feeling that something is missing, or even perhaps the feeling of ‘is there all there is?’. The simple reason is that this person hasn’t found their passion in life (and far from being on the path to live that passion) and therefore cannot feel fulfilled no matter what they do. This lifestyle is where most people live and eventually die. It is as if they are coasting through with life happening to them. This life is one of smallness.

Everything in life is about choice. If you don’t consciously make a choice, a choice will be made for you. Many times an individual doesn’t even realize they actually can make a choice, and so often I’ve heard the comment as someone is offering a defensive explanation, “I had no choice”, “my parents raised me that way”, “that’s who I am, I can’t help it!”…

My friends, you ALWAYS have a choice! A choice to make a brand new start. The past does not equal the future…unless you live there!

So I ask you to review the three ways you can live your life – through motivation, through inspiration, or through stagnation. The choice is yours and yours alone. Your greatest power is the power of choice. Which direction is the path you want to travel? One of these lifestyle choices is how you are living your life right at this moment. Maybe you like your life and maybe you don’t, but if you want for it to be lived differently, you have to make the choice to do it. You have to make it a MUST and not a SHOULD! Should you find it challenging to apply that conscious choice of how you desire to shift, and to give your life ‘an upgrade’, to move to the next level, maybe you also need to realize that what may keep you from getting what you want is the story you keep telling yourself about why you are not getting it.

Right now, without doing another thing, think about these three ways to live.

Which one do you think will bring you the greatest rewards, give you peace, and the most happiness and fulfillment as you show up for and expect it, long term?

I live my life through inspiration, backed up (and not lead) by motivation (which I now class in second position). I tried stagnation for many years but was miserable, restless, unfulfilled, feeling as if something major was lacking from my life. I made a choice to become motivated, and I did that too. I reaffirmed with positive affirmations every day and both read and listened to motivational information. I even worked with ‘just motivated’ people, and I can tell you from my personal experience that it was a lot of hard work with little compensation during that time. Motivation alone is just not enough, life led by inspiration rules !

In the past few years I chose to give the inspired lifestyle a go…to let go of fear, anxiety and leave some room to faith, visualization… then my life slowly started to shift and eventually became extraordinary. Things flowed into my consciousness that sometimes pleased me and other times scared me, but I listened and followed the guidance that came, while shutting off these voices that were unsupportive…

The end result? I am now happier than I’ve ever been, closer to loved ones that ever, feeling centered. I am at peace every day and know everything is working in Divine order. I realize and am thankful for all that happens in my life, because I know that all happens for a reason and that ‘life’s exercises’ are sent at times for growth and  practice… Amazing things keep showing up in my life that I could never have imagined or obtained. I work hard when I feel that I’ve been guided to do something, and I am able to easily implement balance in my life now, that didn’t exist before. I have found that by focusing my thoughts on what flows to me with ease, allowing me to have time to complete everything that is most crucial, and enjoy the process. My life has become extraordinary and keeps shaping its self that way; every day is a joyous experience, I wake up each day feeling like a kid on Christmas morning!

Anyone willing to try and give it their whole can experience and own that too. That’s the magic of human kind and the way we are created. Try it, give it your whole.

Take a moment and decide what you want your life journey to be like: motivated, inspired, or stagnant, and what will fulfill you long term. It’s only a matter of choice! Choice from the heart that is, not simply from the head.

Lets’ be reminded here that the decisions we make shape our destinies; our lives, and that the people we surround ourselves with will greatly influence us in our decision making process…so we might as well make the right choice and wisely ‘invest’ to our life’s future.

Life is a game…play it well !