Motives

“Motives are the root of our actions.”

Have you ever stopped to think about what your motives truly are? Yes, that’s right why you think the way you think, say what you say, do what you do, and act like you act…?

 Motives are in every decision we make, they are behind every word we say, and in everything we think, thus I would say understanding our motives is a way to understand ourselves.

 Motives are fuel.

 Motives can be brought about by reasoned choice or they can appear out of nowhere in a flurry  of emotion. Beware of the latter. Motives that are without contemplation can be very damaging and oftentimes cause us to irrationally fuel what we say or do next. And then the big “R” word appears; regret.

Taking time to evaluate your motives is a great meditation. Quietly, without judgment or pressure ask yourself about the whys in your life. The hard part comes next, with detachment can you observe your reaction to the whys in your life? Finally, can you trace back your reaction to motives? What “motivated” you to react and to arrive where you are today?

 Motives embark many areas: relationships, your choice of work, what you surround yourself with, your lifestyle, your choice of information input, how you promote your values…all these areas are what make a life well-lived. I encourage you to understand your motives and even more importantly live and be at peace with them.