​Not all motivation is created equal!
 
And here's why... 
Our actions and the way we behave are mainly due to the things that motivate us!  Ummm.  For instance….
 
A love of art can motivate you to take art lessons or start an art gallery.  An interest in children can motivate you to become a Foster Parent or a volunteer school aide.  These are only two of an unlimited number of things that can get us motivated to change and act according to our passionate desires.
 
But, here's the downside… 
 
What if you had a love or desire for gambling or performing dangerous stunts!  OK, hold on, I know you’re already conjuring up many more illustrations of how a life could change simply by acting on the wrong motivation!   If the resulting behavior has negative consequences it's not good motivation!
 
We have been trained to “get motivated” and act!
 
That certainly sounds reasonable and a good thing to do on the face of it!  But just because you may really, really like kids does not necessarily correlate to a “mission” or motivation that gets you involved with all things kids!  The same goes for a love of art, sports, cars, and more! 
 
So, what’s the point of defining your motivation?  That’s easy.  You need to know what’s motivating you!  Does it produce a good outcome, make your life more enjoyable and create positive emotions? Are you happy?  Do you enjoy the outcomes of your behaviors?  Or do they drag you down and cause negative consequences?  Are you satisfied?  Or, are you angry and self-destructive?  Finally, this is important; do the actions and behaviors elicit dark emotions?
 
It’s important to know what is motivating you!
 
And it's not that difficult! You don’t need any advanced training or education to identify motivation.  If you isolate the way you behave because of a passion (something that you like or makes you feel good and one that keeps you going day after day), then that’s what’s motivating you!  
 
You can change what motivates you!   Once you know the answer, you can decide whether to change gears or continue in the same mode!  If your motivation is good, keep doing more of the same.  Add more passion and zest to all positive motivation! But motivation that causes negative emotions needs to be eliminated immediately!

​Let me explain...
 
Everyone loves the entertainer who performs on the street, in the square and well, along the beach.  It’s an act of boldness and abandonment from the norm.  People walking by pay attention.  They take pictures, videos and share the moment with their friends and colleagues in social posts.  Often, they donate, buy CD’s and engage with the entertainer!
 
But there's a catch… 
 
Being a street entertainer is not advantageous to most business models! 
 
It may give the signal that you’re a “Trail Blazer” but it certainly lacks the image of a stable and established business!
 
There’s no feeling of certainty that you will be around tomorrow after you pack up your goods and leave for the day!
 
So, what’s the correlation?  It’s easy to define.  The creative genius of the street entertainer is the one thing all business professionals can learn from.  Notice how the entertainer isn’t afraid to be different!  Their very act communicates the confidence and fierce belief they have in their “product” to everyone who will stop and watch! The venue may be “out of the question” but the boldness and lack of “fear of failure” is the key to understanding how to apply their creative tactic to your product/service.
 
 
This is where it gets interesting… You don’t have to be an entertainer!  You just need to deliver a message that is different and grabs attention!  Assuming you have already identified what your target market is looking for, then finding a creative way to deliver that message is the next step.  (And remember, there are many ways to say the same thing to the same people without it ever becoming dull and boring.)  You don’t have to be an entertainer.  But, being a good story teller is essential!
 
Here's the clincher and the best part… You don’t have to do it by yourself!  Ask for help.  Get together with other creative minds.  You’ll be surprised at how others perceive the best way to tell your story.  Before you know it, you’ll have options beyond your wildest dreams.  Others plus you equal a SUPER SIZED creative ending! 
 
Well, what are you waiting for! Start today!  

Let me explain…
 
Remember when you first entered the business arena with vim, vigor and unlimited ideas that could fill the ocean? Every day was an opportunity to try a new marketing idea.  Naivety and lack of marketing and business “know how” didn’t stop your impulsive actions.  Failure or lack-luster results didn’t faze your enthusiastic journey!  It was just part of doing business.  The quest to find that one perfect customer was all you needed to set sail.  Marketing was fun, exciting and energizing!
 
But, here’s the catch… 
 
Time, seminars, webinars, lack luster results and “nay sayers” created a mindset that didn’t allow marketing strategy that was “out of the box”.   
 
Without warning, you realized your marketing had become ubiquitous, uninteresting and lacked spontaneity!
 
The fun and excitement of marketing had waned and lost it’s edge.  Slowly, you became aware that your messages on the “marketing sales shelf” looked the same as all the other generic messages.   
 
And there’s more…  Experiencing that horrible feeling of not knowing how to get back what you lost can be paralyzing!  It’s a lonely place when you realize you have blended in with the crowd.  That was never the intention! 
 
Now, here comes the good part…  The past does not have to dictate the future success of your marketing efforts!  It’s time to change course and reach a new destination.  Plug in the ear buds, get creative, forget the competition and start pumping out new ideas.
 
Marketing should be exciting!  Discovering new tactics that stand out from the crowd is invigorating!  There are no limits to who can accomplish this.  Anyone with a desire to be different and not blend in can accomplish the impossible. (I’m sure a lot of people didn’t believe the hula hoop would span two centuries.  Or that brand names would still take the lead on retail shelves over the generic brands.)
 
When you believe in your product/service, yourself and your instincts… just watch how quickly marketing becomes you first passion, again!