The Motivation Manifesto

brendon burchard

*The Declaration of Personal Power

• why waste so much time at every distraction, why shy away from revealing our truth, why be scared of conflict, why we play small

• declare a personal power and freedom — cannot be controlled by fear and convention

• why do we prefer to be elsewhere doing something else? Need to be in the moment, choose to feel again

• DECLARE: meet life with full presence and power, agenda, defeat our demons, advance with abandon, practice joy and gratitude, not break our integrity, amplify love, inspire greatness, slow time

• we too often detached from what is most worth fighting for

• without self mastery we are slaves to fear

• we are not the sum of our intentions but of our actions

• only 2 things can change our lives: Either something new comes into our lives or something new comes from within

*On Human Nature; Freedom, Fear, Motivation

Freedom—

• we all want freedom to exercise it and feel it — fear and oppression takes that away

• personal freedom: liberty from restrictions of social oppression and tragic self oppression that Is fear

• to be free in the moment to express who they truly are and create and contribute to the works

• active self expression and pursuit of our own aims that we can become free

• we give away pieces of our integrity in order to get along with others

• sense of security from conformity is a great enemy of personal freedom

• most highly adaptive among us are least aware and socially least successful and authentic

• uncertainty there is also risk of vulnerability and loneliness

• ultimate misery: living a life that is not our own, the more we can be true to ourselves the more we can connect and contribute to the world

• the more we be free and spontaneous and authentic we are more motivated and alive

• free and healthy:genuineness and growth — personal power is directly tied with personal responsibility

• freedom requires responsibility to choose who we are above and beyond our immediate impulses needs and social pressures

• more than just being free from pain, we want discomfort, freedom to live to truly enjoy and expand life

• don’t be confused with your why, every decision and action stems from a hope to attain personal freedom

  Fear—

• fear rips us from freedom — fear is immediate release from threats, strain, or pain - ego is safe and unchallenged

• fear is when emotional comfort is challenged — fear rules us only if we let it

• our grand battles in life is desire of freedom and fearful impulses that destroy desire

• either freedom wins or fears wins

• why some people more driven by fear than freedom?

• we cannot control how others treated us yesterday, let us work instead on understanding how we are currently dealing with those who stoke our fear today

• the worriers: these people believe they are thoughtful, loving, and protective — friends, family, lovers, leaders, neighbours etc

  — these are the people that warn us about taking those risks to try to be different, creative, alive and bold

• the weaklings: they can make us fear the thing that advances us, effort

  — life of ease, we want struggle and challenge

• the wicked: those people of resistance, power hunger people, belittling our worth
  — can’t start to think that we are not good enough or cannot win

• most fear in life is anxiety arising from our anticipation of pain with loss or hardship

• loss pain; worry that we will lose something we cherish if we take action
  —must analyze and reverse, always less to lose than to gain in making healthy decisions

• loss hardships; worry it is too hard on us, not ready or capable yet
  —we want to start off struggling to learn! Isn’t it a better life worth some struggle?!

• learning journey toward freedom can be exciting: we can learn, we can grow and we must begin now for destiny favours the bold

• humans learn to overcome their fears = self mastery

Motivation—

• many react to impulses, we want to sustain motivation

• our human values rest on motivation, love, kindness, honesty, fairness, tolerance, respect,

• why we do what we do, the reason - it is a choice !

• make clear choices and more deeply commit to them - motivation is sparked by ambition and expectancy

• ambition is choice to be, have, do or experience something greater in our lives

• deeply contemplating higher aims, we energize ourselves to pursue them

• expectancy is choice to believe that their dreams are possible and that they can achieve them

• sustaining choices of motivation are attention and effort but distractions is the day stealing their mental focus and motivation

• deeper and longer attention to ambitions and passions the more motivated I feel

• ultimate secret to lifelong motivation = continuing on, no matter what — always have a choice

• attitude and environment will amplify motivation

• must surround ourselves with positive and genuine people that seek positive aims and attitudes

• motivation is not a personality trait, it is an intention and will of free and conscious mind

• laziness is a choice! Life is short, choosing to be energized yourself will you finally go out into the world, discover who you are and grow

• EITHER FEAR WINS OR FREEDOM WINS

*The 9 Declarations
1. We Shall Meet Life With Full Presence and Power

• life is not meant to be a long series of unfelt and undirected experiences, we are NOT zombies and salves!

• must choose to feel again! So many divine wonders, acts of human kindness and beautiful sights

• with enlightenment comes realization that the natural for life is not a distant death, but a detachment from living

• our only enemy is ourselves to become open and free, alive

• spontaneity is the hallmark of a free person not thinking about the past or future, unless recounting joys is looking for lessons

• am I feeling this life currently? Directing my full power — find the comfort in the uncomfortable

• direct your life story, self examination, protect yourself on who you allow to be in your circle

• find life wanting then we must stand and venture out to fight purposefully for something more!

• what are you fighting for? Something that matters

• take interest in others, understand them, contribute to their lives — our relationships demands more presence, attention, purpose — ask more questions

• what can be done to improve this world that I influence? — to serve something larger than ourselves

• observer, director, guardian, warrior, lover, and leader

2. We Shall Reclaim Our Agenda

• great joy in life comes when we are spontaneous and authentic each day while engaging in activities we enjoy

• either the striver with the spear of purpose or the distracted straggler with the excuse

• the ultimate tell: feeling trapped — if we are merely just fine, we are not alive

• speaking up for ourselves and telling the world what we want and desire is a fundamental practice of a free life

• we document our every personal move in photos and videos yet we know nothing about ourselves, we spend more time checking stats than our souls

• clarity — direction — progress

• we either hate our work, change perspective and find meaning, or quit and find what makes our souls sing

• can’t fear of saying no, you are not responsible for their lives they created

• a million dreams have died because compromising souls repeat the lie of the weak

• others should be collaborating with us to our dreams, what we truly desire and why
  

3. We Shall Defeat Our Demons

• enlightenment comes to those who free themselves from self oppression

• defiance is that demon — doubt comes up when we strive for anything new or better

• greatest damage from doubt isn’t just what we fail to do, it is who we fail to become

• we develop character only through effort, struggle, and learning

• faith: to believe in something and stick to that belief tightly — we have faith when we can endure sadness or suffering or loss and keep our wits about us knowing that eventually things shall pass and good things will return

• we want to take decisive actions, destiny turns favour toward those who act, awarding them success and a heroic recognition in life

• take action even when we are afraid that’s that best time

• division is the destroyer of connection and love, and compassion. We need love to break this

• we can have faith and action but without love there if no strength, it is love that gives faith it’s raw and divine power — take action, be faithful and love
  

4. We Shall Advance With Abandon

• a certain degree of recklessness and insanity is necessary to advance or innovate anything, to make any new or remarkable contributions

• “to win, one must first begin”

• unknown is reckless but that’s where the treasure lies

• for victims and quitters what matters to them is surviving life not shaping it — we are responsible for our reality !

• without trial and strife, there can be no true knowledge, no progress, no high achievement

• only actions allow us to create, grow, connect, contribute and rise

• am I taking enough bold and meaningful actions to advance my life and reach my full potential?

• we don’t need permission, the only permission granted by society is norms and traditions

• we don’t need more time, we need strong reasons to act — need to give in order to receive , for in giving we are given to

• why does love of money replaces love of meaning?

• time to overcome our fears and egos, our insecurities and judgements and learn to celebrate those who had the character and courage required to rise up

• to radically advance our lives, we will no doubt endure real struggle — willing to struggle through learning, effort, growth

• we must commit ourselves to this cause of advancement for the sake of growth and giving
  

5. We Shall Practice Joy and Gratitude

• life’s purpose is to live, to live freely, vibrantly, joyously, madly, consciously, lovingly, enthusiastically — we choose our attitudes! Transform our energy in the moment into appreciation

• joy is the jewel of life, gratitude the gold — make it a aim to live a joyous life

• be curious, release expectations, take pleasure in small things, and expect good things = engage in the moment

• struggle does not mean suffering — emotional state is a choice, we don’t have a specific emotion we generate it
  

6. We Shall Not Break Integrity

• today’s thoughts and actions become our legacy — let us build life we are proud of, stay true to ourselves

• who am I and what is important to me — our character, connections, contributions

• must choose to live in alignment with those descriptions of our true character — common sense is but always common practice

• what kind of experiences do we want to have with the important people in our lives?

• what do we want to create, build, shape, share, or give? What tangible evidence of our creativity and life do we want to leave on this earth?

• wisdom is knowing who to be and what to do in a given situation: virtue is acting on that wisdom

• think before we act: consider our family, well-being, relationship, social responsibilities

• never commit to anything where we lack passion: maintain passion through spending our time wisely

• keep our word: remain true to ourselves and act

• always treat others with respect: allow others to express themselves

• tell them truth: person who tells many lies if forced to live many lives

• always favour action: need to pursue it, less we act the less integrity we have

• temptations: impatience, disappointment, desperation, aggression, hurt, loyalty, power

• it’s what you do after the disappointment, can’t quit, learn and let it go

7. We Shall Amplify Love

• nothing remarkable in our personal growth can be achieved without opening to love and unleashing it’s joyful fire into the world

• why is courage to love openly such feared? It began with hurt.

• we build a wall to protect but it has blocked it out.. measure our giving and receiving of love and it makes us suffer

• love is not bound to our hearts, and it’s not caged and capable of being poked, taunted, or trapped. No amount of love no matter the pain or hurt is ever lost — pain has nothing to do with love, there was pain, anything of the past is past

• often that our self protection blocks the thing we desire, love

• courage of the heart, love is not deserved by anyone or reserved only for a few, the divine hand gives freely to all

• we do not need to love ourselves before loving others, just becomes a waiting game to love others

• we have choices to make about what kinds of persons we’ll be and how we’ll interact with the world. Meet them with full vibrancy!
  

8. We Shall Inspire Greatness

• striving for a better life and a better world can leave others inspired if it comes from a genuine place of service, or diminished if it comes from a place of greed

• wake up to fight hard to have a better tomorrow, actively seek learning and challenges in order to grow and contribute and care about their integrity

• demand means setting expectations, communications, hold people to high standards

• 9 virtues of greatness; let us demand honesty — be straightforward, let us demand responsibility — take control, let us demand intelligence — learn, explore, think, grow, let us demand excellence — find others that share similar excellence, let us demand courage — motive to act not talk, forcing to face fears and injustice, let us demand respect for others — seek to inspire, let us demand vigilance — alert yet calm, let us demand service — direct energy, knowledge and talent making a difference and service is the intent to do good and well to others genuinely, let us demand unity — march together toward something important

• if we doubt it, we are doomed to fail

9. We Shall Slow Time

• The sum of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware

• we are not suppose to miss this moment, this life

• don’t think there will be more, life is random and too soon can be taken away — why keep checking our agendas in panic wondering where we are to be?

• we can add nothing to yesterday, all about newness — every moment take it in and breath

• enjoy the music of life around us

• the more senses we bring to the moment, the more time slows, the more a catalogue of joyful vivid memories grow in our minds, the more life is filled with gratitude and more nourished soul

• awareness is the best weapon against time

• amplify our senses just a little longer to live a joyous masters in the infinite and divine freedom of now