What motivates you to keep going?

 If you had to pick one... what motivates you to keep going?  Is it failure, success, or inspiration/encouragement?  

Does failing at something make you want to try again?  When you receive criticism, do you want to work harder?  

Or is success and achievement what motivates you to keep going?  When you do well at something, does it light a fire in you to do it again, but even better?  

Or is it neither failure or success, but maybe encouragement from someone, a like or a nice comment, or just feeling inspired by others around you to dream big and keep growing that motivates you to keep going even when it's hard and your goal or dream feels so far away?  

I've been thinking a lot about this as I have always been someone with goals and aspirations.  But most things I have chosen to do haven't came naturally for me.  I have fallen and failed A LOT.  I have wanted to quit, and sometimes I did for a while, but something or someone eventually told me to keep going.  But what was it?  What motivated me to keep going, keep growing, keep learning and trying again? 

I think it was encouragement and inspiration.  John C. Maxwell says that "only empowered people will reach their full potential."  

You see, when I fail at something, I often feel defeated and discouraged.  I want to quit as it feels too hard, as if nothing I am doing is working.  For example, when I took my nursing board exam for the 1st and then the 2nd time, I didn't pass.  I missed passing by a few questions each time.  I wanted to quit, as maybe I wasn't cut out to be a nurse.  And I did give up for several months.  I was embarrassed.  Why couldn't I pass this test?  But then, several people in my life encouraged me to keep going.  I decided to take a review class, walked back in with more confidence than before, and took my board exam for the 3rd and final time and passed without any problems.  A few years later, I decided to apply for FNP school, but my application got denied as my GPA was just shy of the requirement.  Again, I felt defeated, and decided I wasn't cut out for it, but a few of my co-workers and mentors that I looked up to on my floor didn't give up on me.  They wrote recommendation letters on my behalf, encouraging the school to reconsider, and weeks later, I got a 2nd letter saying I got in.  It wasn't the failure itself that motivated me to keep going, work harder, try again, but the encouragement from others that empowered me to not give up.  They believed in me, and therefore I believed in myself.   

I could give lots of examples when it comes to my running journey, running races I didn't think I could finish, overcoming injuries that could have made me give up on my goal of running marathons as well as my writing and business aspirations.  When you put yourself out there and do things that are outside the box and uncomfortable and not expected of you, it's hard.  Learning new skills is hard.  Doing it all while  working a full time job and raising a family and maintaining a home is hard.  You are bound to fall down and fail and not succeed the first or even hundredth time.  

I could also give some examples of when I have been successful.  

But again, as I think about all my goals and dreams and things I have pursued, I still think it is encouragement from others that motivates me to keep going, even if it's just a little compliment from one of my daughters, a drawing when I was writing my 1st book to keep going, cheers from a stranger on race day when I didn't feel like my legs could move anymore, a card from a work colleague, a message from one of my teammates or my mentor, or likes on my post that give me that little fire I need to keep showing up.  And it's also inspiration.  I continue to be inspired by so many people I have intentionally surrounded myself with, even if in most cases, it's virtually.  When I see some of the people I admire doing amazing things, it motivates me to get outside my comfort zone.  I don't think I would have EVER ran a marathon if I didn't watch my husband complete 2 before me and then run my 1st with me.  I don't think I would have EVER written a book if I didn't get that inspiration from people like Rachel Hollis and Jen Hatmaker or even my late pastor who encouraged us to "not leave this world without telling our story."  My BODi business coach and mentor also inspires me in a lot of ways as I have watched her learn and grow and try new things.  I've also watched online friends leave their full-time jobs to enter the entrepreneurial space and be successful at it.  If they can do it, why can't I?  

So when you think about what motivates YOU to keep going... what do you think it is that lights a fire inside of you and gives you that nudge to keep going?  Does failure motivate you?  Does experiencing a little bit of success give you the spark you need to work even harder?  Or it it encouragement from someone when you feel like you might quit?  Or maybe it's simply that feeling of inspiration?  Think about your kids too?  What motivates them?  How can you encourage, inspire, and EMPOWER them to keep going?  

And if you're looking for a little encouragement today, I think you're doing great, and I believe in you and your dreams, and I hope you'll keep chasing them!  Let's connect on instagram at filluptospillout!  

Until next time,

Allison